The Academy of Medical Sciences has condemned the continued maternal mortality, epidemic risks and called for ways to control them.
President of the Academy, Prof. Frank Giwa-Osagie, said this in a statement issued by Prof. Mayowa Owolabi, the Secretary of the academy on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that deaths associated with pregnancy and childbirth, as well as preventable deaths of newborns, remained unacceptable.
“There is no need and no justification for the continued loss of lives related to pregnancy and childbirth,” he said.
He also said that risks around epidemics should be addressed with a level of preparedness and lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and other recurring outbreaks of diseases such as Ebola, Lassa fever, among others.
The president said the academy would be holding its maiden biennial Presidential colloquium to address issues around maternal mortality, epidemic risks, brain-drain and other challenges confronting the healthcare system.
Scheduled for July 30 in Lagos, the theme would be “Nigeria’s Health at a Crossroad:Confronting Workforce Shortages, Epidemic Risks and Maternal Mortality.”
The president said the confab would have experts lead discussions on measures to strengthen the country’s disease prevention and response systems, healthcare delivery.
“Another major issue for deliberation is the continued migration of skilled health professionals, which we all know as brain drain, had depleted Nigeria’s healthcare workforce. Experts will examine the causes of the trend and propose strategies to retain skilled medical personnel in the country,” he said.
He further said they would present the academy’s Rapid Response Committee Initiative and how it could support timely responses to health emergencies nationwide.
Giwa-Osagie said the colloquium would bring together medical experts, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to develop sustainable recommendations for improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The Academy of Medical Sciences, is an academic body in medicine that works outside of government to provide objective advice on medical matters, education, research and public health.
(NAN)
