The donated materials include maternal health equipment and drugs meant for select health institutions in the state. They include suction pumps, resuscitation tables, surgical gloves, balfour retractors, and midwifery kits.
He said it was particularly disturbing that the country, which only represented two per cent of the world population, contributed no less than 14 per cent to global maternal deaths.
“Every hour, nearly 20 women die in Africa. Those deaths do not occur from road accidents from road accidents or flooding. They do not arise from sickness or war.
"Instead, they arise through complications of pregnancy and childbirths. These deaths are taking place despite every nation pledged commitment to reduce maternal deaths.
“Nigeria represents two per cent of the world population, but it accounts for over 14 per cent of global maternal deaths. This is really disturbing,” he said.
He called on governments at all levels and other stakeholders to intensify efforts at promoting maternal health to address the problem. He also spoke in favour of the implementation of effective policies and programmes, strengthening maternal health institutions and training of health personnel to confront the problem.
He said UNFPA was committed to the reduction of maternal deaths in Nigeria and had pledged financial commitment of $2.5million annually from 2013 to 2017 (N2Bn) to tackle the problem.
He also commended the Federal Government for committing about $8.5million annually to improving maternal health, through SURE-P, saying the intervention if sustained would impact positively on maternal health.
Receiving the equipments on behalf of the state government, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris commended UNFPA and its partners for the donation, saying it would go along way in promoting maternal health in Lagos.
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