Korede Abdullah 
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to reduce maternal and infant deaths through improved access to healthcare and innovative interventions.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said on Monday that the state had upgraded 47 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to ensure safer pregnancies and births. “Every mother deserves a safe birth, and every newborn deserves a healthy start,” he said during the opening of a five-day Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) workshop in Alausa, Ikeja.
Abayomi noted Lagos’s health system faces pressure from rapid population growth but remains committed to equitable care. “The moment you cross into Lagos, you become our responsibility,” he added.
The commissioner revealed plans for a University of Medicine and Health Sciences to train 3,000 professionals annually and announced the enforcement of mandatory health insurance under the National Health Insurance Authority Act.
Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, said Lagos ranks third in maternal and infant deaths nationally but aims to change that through improved coordination and nutrition interventions.
WHO representative, Dr. Joy Ufere commended Lagos for leadership that “could set a benchmark for other states.”
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