The president of Rotary is advocating for the nationwide expansion of a maternal health project in order to decrease the mortality rate.
McInally spoke during a community dialogue at Kuchingoro Primary School in Abuja on Saturday and praised the project as “amazing”, stating that its effects should be widespread across the country.
He also suggested that the organization’s maternal and child development project should be extended to every state in Nigeria.
He stated that the project in Nigeria would enhance the well-being of families, ultimately providing women with reproductive guidance and contraception services.
He mentioned that it would also motivate pregnant women to care for themselves well throughout their pregnancy and during childbirth.
Mclnally pointed out that home births are still common among women, and it is where the risk of mortality is the highest.
“If pregnant women can give birth to their babies in a clinic setting, the risk of maternal or infant mortality, complications during delivery, and the chance of stillbirth or infant death are significantly decreased.
Mclnally stated that the project is currently running in six out of 36 Nigerian states, but with sufficient funding, it could be expanded to all states, including the federal capital territory (FCT).
“This expansion could potentially lead to a significant decrease in the mortality rate among mothers giving birth and newborn babies in the country.
“At this point, Rotary has invested $2 million in the project, and an additional nearly $1 million has been committed within Nigeria.
“The project is currently a three-year pilot that is showing promising results and aims to secure more funding from various sources in the future.
“We are seeking partners to acknowledge the achievements of this project and join forces with us as we cannot accomplish this on our own.
“We believe that collaborating with partners is essential for the success of this project.”
