Marie Stopes International Organisation Nigeria (MSION) has donated maternal health medications, Misoclear, its brand of socially marketed misoprostol used in the management of postpartum hemorrhage in women after childbirth, to the Lagos state government.
The product was presented to the Lagos State Ministry of Health at Alausa Ikeja, Lagos State. Speaking on behalf of MSION, the South West Regional Manager, Mr. Abimbola Faloye, stated that the donated medicines would help more women stay alive, thus, contribute to Lagos state’s effort at improving maternal health.
He expressed concern that Nigeria has an unacceptably high maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 451 deaths per 100,000 live births and through this donation in Lagos and similar donations to state governments, MSION is supporting Nigeria’s effort at meeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to reduce global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100, 000 live births by 2030.
“With this donation, we are contributing to prevent the needless deaths of women from bleeding after childbirth, one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in Nigeria. Most factors causing maternal deaths are preventable through combined safe motherhood strategies of focused antenatal care, immediate post-partum period and access to family planning” he said.
Receiving the products on behalf of the Lagos State Government, the Director, Family Health & Nutrition at the ministry, Dr. Mrs. Folasade Oludara, thanked the company for the kind gesture. She noted that Maternal and child health is a key health area of focus for the state government and the state appreciates the contributions and partnership of MSION in facilitating improved access to sexual reproductive health to all requiring it.
