The Kogi State Government, in partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), has launched an emergency transportation scheme for pregnant women as part of its efforts towards reducing maternal mortality rates in the state.

The Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Haruna Saka, who spoke on Wednesday at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lokoja, said the emergency transport scheme under its ‘Healthcare Plus’ programme was to ensure that pregnant women who are under labour could have easy transportation services to designated healthcare centres for prompt attention.

He noted that the scheme would go a long way in reducing the incidences of maternal and neonatal mortalities, adding that delay in transporting pregnant women to health centres was one of the leading causes of women’s deaths during delivery.

Dr Saka urged the transporters engaged under the scheme to be prompt in responding to distress and emergency calls from pregnant women.

According to him, the Healthcare Plus programme of the present administration, which was launched in 2016 with focus on maternal and neonatal healthcare services as well as other health interventions by the government, had yielded significant results.

He added that the maternal mortality rates of the state, which was previously about 536/1,000 live births, had reduced to less than 200/1,000 live births going by its administrative data. He said the Healthcare Plus programme had been operational in designated healthcare centres in Okene, Anyigba, Gegu-Beki and Isanlu axis of the state.

In his remarks, the Vice Chairman of NURTW, Lokongoma Park Branch, Alhaji Hassan Yusuf, assured that its members engaged under the scheme would be devoted and committed in the discharge of their duties in accordance with the terms of the MoU signed. (Daily Trust)