Dec 3, 2009 - Communicating For Change (CFC) Safe Motherhood Film Launch
I congratulate the General Manager, Mrs. Eugenia Essel and her team in Communicating for Change on the premiere of the three films titled – Too Young, Too Late and Too Far highlighting the very serious issue of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
It is common knowledge that our country ranks high among nations where the incidence of maternal mortality is most prevalent in the world. It is indeed an irony that the process of giving life through childbirth could also simultaneously lead to loss of life which as we have been told is as high as 144 women on a daily basis. This situation is clearly unacceptable and therefore requires the intervention of everyone to reverse the ugly trend.
I believe tackling the problem of maternal mortality requires multifaceted approach from enlightenment, education, empowerment for improved access to quality medical care that can effectively handle complications in pregnancy during and after childbirth.
A very crucial objective of the enlightenment campaign should be to change the orientation of the people and making them know the danger inherent in teenage pregnancy. This is very important because quite a number of cases of death in pregnancy or during childbirth is attributable to the fact that some of these teenagers are not physically, psychologically and emotionally matured for the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth.
In Lagos State, serious attention is being given to the issue of maternal mortality with a view to reducing it to the barest minimum through the ongoing efforts of the State Government to establish hospitals that will be dedicated to providing quality medical care for women and children.
The challenge of reducing incidence of maternal mortality is not for government alone. We all have a role to play in our private capacity as it is being demonstrated today by Communicating for Change through these educating and enlightening films. I believe the real challenge is for the society to be receptive to change and also realise that a lot of lives of women will be saved just by changing our attitudes and being able to see clearly the relationship between some of our actions and their consequences.
Once again, I congratulate Communicating for Change and wish you success in this endeavour.
Thank you and God bless you all. Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year in advance.
Her Excellency
Mrs. Abimbola Fashola
First Lady of Lagos State