The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board has inaugurated a sub-committee to strengthen efforts at reducing maternal and child mortality across the state.
The State Sub-Committee on Primary Health Care Maternal, Perinatal and Child Death Surveillance and Response (PHC-MPCDSR) was formally inaugurated recently.
The initiative is aimed at reviewing cases of maternal and child deaths, identifying underlying causes, and recommending practical measures to prevent future occurrences.
The committee is chaired by Dr. Chituru Adele, the Executive Secretary of the Board. It comprises representatives from the National Population Commission, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, directors of departments within the Board, Safe Motherhood coordinators, professional bodies, development partners, civil society groups, and faith-based organisations.
Also Read: http://APC Inaugurates Fubara, Others for National Convention Planning
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Adele emphasised that most maternal deaths are preventable when health systems are strengthened, and reliable data is available to guide interventions.
She noted that while Nigeria continues to rank among countries with high maternal mortality rates globally, parts of Rivers State also face significant challenges.
According to her, six of the state’s 23 Local Government Areas have been identified as carrying a disproportionately high burden of maternal deaths.
She, however, described the establishment of the committee as both strategic and timely, explaining that a systematic review process would help uncover gaps in service delivery and inform policy adjustments.
The Executive Secretary urged members of the panel to go beyond record-keeping and focus on solutions that will produce measurable results.
She charged the committee to ensure that every reported maternal death is comprehensively reviewed, with clear recommendations to improve the quality of care at primary health care facilities.
She also highlighted the need to strengthen data collection, surveillance systems, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks to support evidence-based decision-making.
Collaboration with partners, she added, would be critical to implementing targeted interventions in high-burden communities.
