The Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) has stressed the need for government to increase training of doctors and nurses in neonatal resuscitation to reduce maternal mortality in the country.
The President of the society, Prof. Oluwarotimi Akinola, made the call at a news conference following a communique issued at the end of the 51st Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the society on Saturday in Sokoto.
Akinola also urged government to financially support and implement
evidence-based integrated interventions that proved to improve maternal and child health.
He added that SOGON started a Volunteer Obstetrician Scheme (VOS) to encourage states to implement Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MDPSR) initiative in Nigeria.
He noted that “we, therefore, solicit for nationwide implementation of the National Health Act of 2014, which ensures universal health coverage for all Nigerian citizens.”
The SOGON boss also said that during this years conference, the society provided free medical treatment to more than 200 women with different health conditions in Sokoto State.
He said “as also screened more than 100 women for cervical cancer and major and minor surgeries, as well as Vesico-Vaginal Fistula repairs.”
He added that during the conference, some members were elected to run the affairs of the society for the next three years and he was elected as President, while Dr Habib Sadauki and Prof. Okay Ikpeze were Vice Presidents I and II.
Others are Dr Christopher Aimakhu as Secretary General and Prof. Bala Audu as Honorary Treasurer, while Prof. Olusola Fasubaa who still has two years to end of his term, will continue as Editor of the tropical journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
He added that the Annual General Meeting unanimously adopted that the 2018 and 2019 conference of the society be held in Calabar and Abuja.
He commended Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Gov. Ibrahim Gaidem of Yobe and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, among others, for attending the conference.
The conference, held between Nov. 19 and Nov. 25 in Sokoto had “Maternal and Newborn Health in a Challenging Economy” as its theme.