₦airaland Forum

Women’s rights in childbirth must be upheld during the coronavirus pandemic – HE Toyin Ojora Saraki

The Founder- President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Toyin Ojora Saraki has issued a passionate call to policymakers to respect the rights of pregnant and recently pregnant women, during the global, regional and national responses to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mrs Saraki, who has served since 2014 as the Inaugural Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives issued her call-to-action in response to an Official Statement from that organisation, alerting stakeholders to the threat to womens rights, stating:

‘The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) is concerned that the human rights of women, their babies and their midwives are being violated by the introduction, in many countries, of inappropriate protocols for management of pregnancy, birth and postnatal care in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. These inappropriate protocols are not based in current reputable evidence and are harmful to the wellbeing of women and their babies’

‘As a woman, as a mother and grandmother, as Global Goodwill Ambassador to the International Confederation of Midwives since 2014, and as Founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa – conceived to ensure safer births – I share, endorse, and give my support to the grave concerns expressed by the ICM which represents over 1 million midwives and 600 country associations in more than 130 countries, that Women’s Rights in Childbirth Must be Upheld During the Coronavirus Pandemic.’

‘In every country and community worldwide, pregnancy and childbirth are momentous events in the lives of women and families and represent a time of intense vulnerability. The concept of “safe motherhood” is usually restricted to physical safety, but childbearing is also an important rite of passage, with deep personal and cultural significance for a woman and her family. Because motherhood is specific to women, issues of gender equity and gender violence are also at the core of maternity care. Thus, the notion of safe motherhood must be expanded beyond the prevention of morbidity or mortality to encompass respect for women’s basic human rights including respect for women’s autonomy, dignity, feelings, choices, and preferences, including the right to companionship during maternity care.’

‘A childbearing woman’s right to respectful maternity care focuses specifically on the inter-personal aspects of care received by women seeking maternity services. A woman’s relationship with maternity care providers and the maternity care system during pregnancy and childbirth is vitally important. Not only are these encounters the vehicle for essential and potentially lifesaving health services, pregnant and recently pregnant women’s experiences with caregivers at this time have the impact to empower and comfort or to inflict lasting damage and emotional trauma, adding to or detracting from women’s confidence and self-esteem. I have been disturbed and dismayed by news coverage and anecdotal reports of enforced separations of recently delivered mothers from their newborns, a cruel development with no medical justification.’

‘The role of midwives as guardians of women’s rights to health has been historically evidenced since physician Ignaz Semmelweis documented the effects of hand hygiene on health in the 1800’s, noting that women delivered by midwives’ clean hands had higher survival outcomes than other patients in his hospital who perished, thereby announcing that hand hygiene, the same core infection prevention and control protocols being deployed to deliver the world from COVID today in 2020, saved lives.’

‘The WHO recommendations on caring for pregnant and recently pregnant women with COVID-19 insist that to date, there is limited data on clinical presentation and perinatal outcomes after COVID-19 during pregnancy or the puerperium, and there is no evidence that pregnant women present with different signs or symptoms or are at higher risk of severe illness, and that considering asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 may be possible in pregnant or recently pregnant women, as with the general population, all women with epidemiologic history of contact should be carefully monitored.’

‘I urge all policymakers to remember that women’s memories of their childbearing experiences stay with them for a lifetime and are often shared with other women, contributing to a climate of confidence or doubt around childbearing.’

‘Pregnant women around the world are already facing a crisis of uncertainty over where and how to access much needed routine antenatal and postnatal care as health facilities shut their doors to patients except those needing care for severe respiratory symptoms of the covid pandemic – As the world unites to combat, contain and control COVID-19, this is not the time to needlessly assault the rights of childbearing women at their most vulnerable point of need, we must respect the rights of a woman in childbirth, during the coronavirus, and always, for every woman, and her newborn, for all, everywhere.

CC: http://nigeriannewsdirect.com/womens-rights-in-childbirth-must-be-upheld-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic-he-toyin-ojora-saraki/

Coronavirus: Toyin Saraki condoles Alfa Sa’adu’s family

Toyin Saraki, wife of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has commiserated with the family of Dr Alfa Sa’adu who died on Tuesday of complications from the coronavirus in the UK.

Mrs Saraki said in a tweet late Tuesday that the deceased was well recognized for his medical contributions.

She also prayed for the repose of his soul.

“My sincere condolences to Hon Aliyu Ahman-Pategi and his family on the demise in the UK of their elder brother Dr Alfa Sa’adu, Galadima of Patigi, Kwara State. Well recognised for his medical contributions, I pray that Almighty God rests his soul in peace. Amen, #COVID19” she wrote.

Sa’adu held the traditional title of Galadiman Patigi in Kwara.

Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of Kwara State Traditional Council, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has also condoled the family on the loss.

Wellbeing Foundation Africa sensitises health workers, students on hygiene to combat COVID-19 pandemic

A non-governmental organisation, The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WFA), has carried out a public sensitisation exercise on the best hand, respiratory and environmental hygiene practices to check the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

At the event organised for health workers and technology students in Federal Capital Territory Abuja and Nassarawa State, the sensitisation include the World Health Organisation (WHO) safe hands challenge technique in the seven steps of handwashing with soap and the correct use of hand sanitisers for infection prevention and control (IPC).

The occasion was to mark the World Water Day celebrate March 23. The foundation also extended its Teach Clean WASH For Wellbeing Programme Demonstration Sessions to Abaji Primary Health Centre, Kuje Primary Health Centre, Gbagalape Primary Health Centre, Town Clinic Gwagwalada, Divine Jubilation College of Health Technology, Nasarawa State, and the surrounding Masaka Community.

Speaking at the Divine College of Health Technology, Nassarawa State, the foundation Abuja Mission Leader, Dr. Otun Adewale, who led practical field demonstrations, emphasised the essential importance of water sanitation and hygiene.

According to him, health workers are in the firing line of all infectious diseases, and hand washing is the first line of defence a person has against infection.

“Apart from coronavirus, there is Lassa fever which is still killing people every day in the country, and one thing which is recommended by the Centre for Disease Control is hand washing. Hence, we believe strongly that having good knowledge of proper handwashing can help people in preventing further spread of infections.

“The programme is to equip people to know that even after touching a surface, they are supposed to wash their hands as frequently as possible, and in cases where handwashing cannot be done, they can make use of hand sanitizer. Our recent launch of the Safe Surfaces Challenge in partnership with Safe Surfaces Science and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has provided ample evidence that microbes and viruses can survive on surfaces for several days. This prompting our advice that even after hand washing, additional environmental hygiene steps must be taken to avoid surface contamination.”

The College’s founder, Mrs. Kemi Ishola and provost, Dr. Ogedengbe expressed gratitude to the organisation for choosing the institution as the sensitisation ground. They said staff and students will spread the hand wash news to others.

Toyin Saraki, Graham, others launch campaign to halt COVID-19

Founder, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Toyin Saraki has launched an initiative, #SafeSurfaceScience Challenge with Professor of Obstetrics and Epidemiology, Wendy Graham and a team of scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

The launch planned to coincide with World Water Day, comes as part of an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and focused on the importance of cleaning surfaces, including mobile phones, in addition to cleaning hands.

Speaking on the initiative, Graham said: “Many germs are spread by our hands. We have known this for centuries. We have also known that surfaces which are touched by many people, like door handles, taps or taxi seats, can also harbour germs, sometimes for days. In the fight against coronavirus, we must put this knowledge to good use and take action; keep hands and surfaces clean and safe. And if we do this for our families and community, we will also reduce the spread of other germs which make us sick.”

Also, speaking Saraki said: “We know that washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds following the method shown by the World Health Organisation, is the way to keep hands safe. And this must be done frequently. When in public places, try to avoid touching surfaces as much as possible, and if you have to touch, use moist wipes or hand gel afterwards, and wash your hands properly when you get home. And while you are out, make sure that you don’t touch your nose, your mouth or your eyes, because that’s how the virus finds a way into your respiratory system.

“Keep surfaces in your home clean, too. You can do this with frequent wiping down with clean water and soap or detergent. And just as there is a right way to wash hands, so there is a way to wipe surfaces as well, use a clean cloth and wipe in one direction once, applying pressure to shift the germs, and then rinse the cloth in a separate bucket with disinfectant. Think of all those things you touch frequently in your daily life for which you have a responsibility and practice One Wipe, One Site, One Direction, including your mobile phone.

“Join the #SafeSurfaceScience Challenge and post your challenge videos on social media. Together we can improved hygiene and help to beat COVID-19.”

COVID-19: ABS FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTES FOOD ITEMS, PREVENTIVE KITS IN KWARA

The Abubakar Bukola Saraki, ABS Foundation led by the Director of Community Impacts, Mallam Otukoko Olayinka Ibrahim on Monday, embarked on a house-to-house distribution of relief materials including food items and COVID-19 preventive kits to Kwarans.

The exercise which is aimed at cushioning the effects of the state-wide partial lockdown on less privileged Kwarans, will go round the 16 local government areas of the State.

Otukoko explained that the choice of the house-to-house distribution was in strict compliance with the State government's directive on social distancing and ban on congregation of more than 10 people.

The Foundation's team which comprises a medical doctor, a nurse and some members of the Community Development group of the Foundation, also used the opportunity to educate the beneficiaries and other members of the public on precautionary measures they must observe to contain the spread of the disease.

The team members stressed the importance of regular hand washing, social distancing, use of nose guards and hand gloves, use of hand sanitizer and other basic personal hygiene habits to prevent community members from contracting the deadly virus.

While addressing people of the communities visited today, Dr. Abdulkareem O Ahmed, who is a member of the ABS Foundation, educated them on the proper and effective use of the hand sanitizer, hand gloves, nose guards and Vitamin C contained in the packs distributed to the beneficiaries along with the food items.

In his remarks, Mall. Otukoko emphasised the importance of Health Safety Education education in the fight against COVID-19, noting that donation of items without educating the people on the necessary protective and preventive measures they must observe, is not impact-based and does not comply with the global standards of fighting the virus.

Otukoko also encouraged governmental and non governmental bodies in Nigeria to include community education in their programmes, saying this would go a long way to expose the people to the realities of the COVID -19 and ways to prevent themselves from contracting the disease.


He noted that promoting Community Health is one of the key objectives of the ABS Foundation, while noting beneficiaries of the various programmes and projects of the Foundation would be drawn from the grassroots, without no bias to political affiliations, religion, ethnicity and colour.

Otukoko also commended Dr Bukola Saraki for providing relief materials to needy Kwarans at this critical moment, stressing this gesture has further demonstrated his love and concern for Kwarans.

Otukoko Olayinka Ibrahim
Director of Community Impacts
ABS FOUNDATION
@Absfoundationng

WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY 2020: WELLBEING FOUNDATION AFRICA SEEKS END TO TB IN NIGERIA

Each year, we commemorate World Tuberculosis Day on March 24th to raise public awareness about the world’s deadliest infectious killer.

Globally, over 4000 people lose their lives to TB and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable disease daily. In Nigeria, not less than 400,000 people have TB each year with about 154,000 deaths from TB. In addition, 63,000 people living with HIV get TB each year.

Two years after the first ever UN High-level meeting which seeks to END TB by accelerating the TB response to save lives and end sufferings, It is unfortunate that Nigeria is rather getting worse on the ladder. Nigeria is the worst hit in Africa and 5th in the world with the largest burden on the children, women of reproductive age and people living with HIV. It has been said that achieving reduction of 90-90-90 target END TB strategy will be a mirage. To end TB scourge, all stakeholders should go back to the drawing board and leaving no stone unturned.

A model used by Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) on improving Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) with Nutrition can be adopted in achieving the vision of ending TB by year 2030. Good political will and right partnership with relevant stakeholders, continuous sensitization and advocacy to women and children especially in the rural areas, continuous training of shealth workers, continuous and sustainable community engagement and good data collection are pivotal to achieving results beyond clinical treatment. Wellbeing Foundation Africa in collaboration with National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Program (NTBLCP) engaged the students and staff of Divine Jubilation College of Health Technology and Masaka community, Nassarawa State on awareness and advocacy programme.

The lecture given by WBFA Abuja Mission Leader put emphasis on the how TB is being spread, prevention and control methods. He rounded up with the message from NTBLCP that treatment of tuberculosis in Nigeria is free.

Finally, our story may remain the same this time next year if we don’t place priorities on women and children especially those in the rural community. It is my hope that all stakeholders will join efforts to put an end to TB, because ‘’Time no dey o’’.

Dr Otun Adewale, Abuja Mission Lead, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, writes in from Abuja, Nigeria.

WELLBEING FOUNDATION AFRICA CONCLUDES ALIVE AND THRIVE INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM: DONATES SPECIALIST TRANSITION EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS TO LAGOS AND KADUNA STATE HEALTH FACILITIES

18th March, 2020

Today, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa hosted 60 healthcare workers to the project transition event of the Alive and Thrive Infant and Young Child Feeding programme. These health workers represented partnering health facilities that performed outstandingly during the programme which was carried out in over 500 private healthcare facilities in Lagos State by the Wellbeing Foundation Africa. The Alive and Thrive Infant and Young Child Feeding programme which was scaled in 2018 has successfully reached over 200,000 antenatal care attendees, 120,000 mothers of children less than 2 years and 15,000 family members with an increased counseling content of facility healthcare workers in Infant and Young Child Feeding.

This IYCF transition event was organized to help health workers from these partnering facilities share achievements and successes that have been recorded throughout the course of this programme. The Wellbeing Foundation Africa and FHI360 Alive and Thrive Team, also presented these healthcare facilities with state-of-the-art breastfeeding simulators to aid the education of mothers on proper breastfeeding.

H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, WBFA Founder-President, who was represented at the event by the Vice President of the Foundation, Dr. Alero Roberts commented: “The Wellbeing Foundation Africa is deeply grateful to our partnering healthcare facilities for their support throughout the implementation of the Alive and Thrive Infant and Young Child Feeding programme within their facilities. Through our improved MamaCare360 programme, we are committed to continuing working with all our partners to promote early initiation to breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, and proper complementary feeding for children after the first six months. We have engaged more midwives across our various facilities in Lagos, Kwara, Kaduna, Osun States and Abuja, to support in-facility healthcare workers to promote maternal and infant nutrition.

"I am encouraged by the milestones we have achieved, reaching over 200,000 antenatal care attendees, 120,000 mothers of children less than 2 years and 15,000 family members with an increased counseling content of facility healthcare workers in Infant and Young Child Feeding. As we conclude this impactful multi-year program, it is important that our upskilled healthworkers, inter-personal community interlocutors and coaches are empowered and engendered to build on the program's success, independently and sustainably - this has guided our donation of state of the art equipment so that our breastfeeding guardians may accelerate nutrition results for every newly delivered mother and her newborn, till 5 years of age. The Wellbeing Foundation Africa is committed to improving knowledge and rates of breastfeeding for better health outcomes for women and their families in Nigeria."

In her remarks, the State Coordinator for the FHI360, Dr. Uche Ralph-Opara, commented: “I will like to commend you all for the effort and service rendered in assisting mothers breastfeed properly, especially with the early initiation to breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. I encourage you all to sustain the progress achieved and engage with key stakeholders within the family, to strengthen the support system needed by mothers to breastfeed. You are all breastfeeding champions, and we are grateful for your support.”

According to initial available data, malnutrition accounts for more than 50% of "under-five" mortality in the state. Infant Mortality rate is at 103 per 1000 live births (NDHS 2013), while under-5 mortality rates are at 169 per 1000 live births (NDHS 2013). The rate of timely breastfeeding initiation is 28.9% (MICS 2017), with only 19.7% of children being exclusively breastfed (MICS 2017), and only 10% of children aged 6 – 23 months were fed appropriately. Within the State, 11.7% of children are wasted from acute under nutrition, 47% of children under-5 years are stunted, while 34% are under weight (MICs 2017).

#ENDS#

Wellbeing Foundation Africa calls for collaboration to promote gender equality, reduce maternal mortality

Wellbeing Foundation Africa, a non-governmental organisation (NGOs) has called for collaboration between community NGOs and policy makers to promote midwives as the heart of health solutions to maternal mortality.
The group made the call at an event to mark the 2020 International Women’s Day celebration, held at the British Deputy High Commissioner’s residence in Lagos.

In her keynote, foundation’s Vice President and renowned public health physician on maternal and child health, Dr. Alero Roberts said despite the fact that July 2020 makes it 25 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, real change has been agonisingly slow for the majority of women and girls worldwide.

“Today, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality. Multiple obstacles remain unchanged in law and in culture. As a result, women remain undervalued, they continue to work more, earn less, have fewer choices and experience multiple forms of violence at home and in public spaces,” she said.

Roberts said that the foundation, which is a global partner to the UN Secretary General’s ‘Every Women, Every Child’ initiative, focuses on SDG 3 (wellbeing for all) and 5 (gender equality), putting women and children at the core of everything they do and driving positive change in the realms of maternal health, women’s rights and girls’ education through a multi-layered strategy of research, advocacy, policy development, and educational programming.

While noting that the nation suffer some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world accounting for 14 per cent of global maternal mortality, the physician said that of the 6.2 million pregnant women in the country, 476,923 die due to pregnancy or childbirth-related causes, majority of which are preventable. She said this mean one in every thirteen women die as a result of maternal complications.

Roberts said although there are arrays of economic, gender and social factors which prevent the necessary education to unite mothers and midwives as the first line of defence against maternal mortality, the foundation is still committed to educating women on their health and training midwives and community health workers in emergency obstetrics and newborn care.

“We know that a midwife trained to global standard has the essential skills to prevent 83 per cent of all maternal deaths, stillbirths and newborn deaths and a 25 per cent increase in midwives could reduce maternal mortality by 50 per cent. For that reason much of our work centres on increasing the skills training for midwives and advocating for the increased coverage of midwives across the world.

“It is not acceptable that in societies like Nigeria, only the wealthy, metropolitan women are educated enough to understand the necessity of respectful maternity care. The experience of bringing life into the world need not be traumatic. It need not be dangerous. It should be dignified and accessible,” Roberts said.

We have a decade left to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and we are nowhere near where we need to be to succeed. One crucial reason is that women remain largely excluded from decision-making processes, which leads to policies that do not provide women the support they need to prosper – or even to survive. Nowhere is this dynamic more apparent than in the health sector.

Women comprise roughly 70% of the global health workforce, and perform the majority of the sector’s most challenging, dangerous, and labor-intensive jobs. Yet they hold only 25% of the health sector’s senior roles, and are rarely represented adequately in policymaking. Instead, they are often expected to remain passive actors, quietly finding ways to do their jobs in difficult – even impossible – circumstances.

The reality for women health workers was reflected in a recent letter to the medical journal The Lancet from two Chinese nurses describing the conditions they and their colleagues face on the frontlines of the battle against the new coronavirus, COVID-19, at its source in Wuhan, China. It may be an extreme case (and the letter has now been retracted over claims that it was not a firsthand account), but the challenges described, from shortages of protective equipment to chronic overwork and exhaustion, are all too familiar to health workers everywhere.

Such conditions make essential health-sector jobs unattractive, contributing to severe labor shortages worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that, for all countries to achieve SDG 3 (“ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”), an additional nine million nurses and midwives will be needed globally by the year 2030.

Closing this gap is a matter of life and death. For example, midwives are often the difference between safe childbirth and newborn or maternal mortality. Lack of access to them – especially for vulnerable populations, such as poor rural dwellers – is a major reason why two-thirds of all maternal deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa. The WHO estimates that adequate midwifery care (including family planning) could prevent 83% of all maternal deaths, stillbirths, and newborn deaths.

Infant and maternal mortality are hardly limited to developing countries. In the United States, the maternal mortality rate has actually increased in recent decades, from 7.2 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 16.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2016. More than half of these deaths could have been prevented if the mothers had better understood the importance of – and had easier access to – quality prenatal and postpartum care.

There is a clear racial dimension to this disturbing trend. In the US, a black woman is 3-4 times more likely than a white woman to die from complications in pregnancy. In the United Kingdom, that multiple rises to five. While this discrepancy may be partly explained by health complications black women experience, racial bias also plays a role. Black women often report feeling that they are not taken seriously by medical professionals.

The health consequences of not listening to women extend further. Children born to healthy mothers are more likely to remain healthier throughout their lives. Because a woman is most likely to engage with the health sector during pregnancy, the support of a midwife or nurse can pull a woman’s entire family into the health-care system.

In a bid to recognize their vital contribution in the health sector, the WHO has designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife. But beyond celebrating nurses and midwives for their hard work, we must seek to rectify structural inequities that exclude women from leadership positions in these professions. That is a key goal of the upcoming Women in Dev conference – a women-led, women-focused initiative that deserves the support of us all.

From labor shortages to racial bias, the barriers to achieving SDG 3 are as diverse as they are high. But the chances of success are significantly better if we listen to those who understand the situation on the ground, and work to enhance inclusion at all levels, taking into account varying socioeconomic conditions. This will require a fundamental shift in mindset, with publics and policymakers alike recognizing that women – as nurses, midwives, and mothers – are often the gatekeepers of health.

A decade of rapid progress toward SDG 3 is possible. But women must be at the helm.

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa Abuja welcomes the United Nations Interagency Task Force – Urges Strong Workplan To Beat NCDs, Stop TB

Nigeria’s pioneer women and children’s health non-profit, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa has welcomed the United Nations Interagency Task Force UNATF on High-Level Non Communicable Diseases and Tuberculosis Joint Programming Mission to Nigeria – Urges Strong Workplan To Beat NCDs, Stop TB.

The UN Interagency Task Force on the prevention and control of NCDs was established in 2013 by the UN Economic and Social Council ECOSOC, to which the Wellbeing Foundation Africa is in special consultative status, aimed at bringing together over 40 UN agencies and other development partners to leverage on each of their mandates and areas of expertise in providing support for NCDs and TB prevention and control activities.

The UNATF visit, hosted by the Federal Ministry of Health led by Honorable Minister Professor Osagie Ehanire brought together global development partners, state and non-state actors with civil society organisations with the mutual target of specifically highlighting the scale of the problems facing Nigeria with regards to NCDs and TB, within the nation’s development agenda, and discussed potential solutions in line with best practice in other countries. The mission will also highlight specific actions for individual ministries, the UN Country Team and development partners in mounting a whole of government and whole of society response to NCDs and to TB, within the context of universal health coverage and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

NCDs especially cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes are now the leading cause of death globally and exerts the greatest impact on low and middle income countries including Nigeria. Nigeria also ranks highest in the global burden of sickle cell disease.

Similarly, with tuberculosis as an age long disease that has remained endemic in different parts of the world, Nigeria ranks 1st in Africa and 6th globally among the 30 high TB burden countries in the world. To tackle the looming NCDs and TB epidemic, NCD and TB targets were included in the 2030 SDGs, and discussed at the 3rd United Nations High-Level Meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in 2018.

In a statement, the Foundation’s Director of Operations Lucy Ikonne said:

“The Wellbeing Foundation Africa is committed, as a critical stakeholder in the prevention and control of NCDs and TB and as a member of the Technical Working Group to Stop TB, to participate in the key activity proposed by the mission, at the stakeholders meeting to discuss the much needed ongoing joint advocacy, private sector/CSO engagement, and development assistance for strengthening NCD and TB control efforts and the multi-sectoral coordination mechanism.”

“Our Founder H.E Toyin Saraki is highly encouraged that the Foundation is joining multi-sectoral development and global health stakeholders in pushing together to bridge the divides between non-communicable diseases and tuberculosis, a process that she hopes will generate a strong workplan to beat NCDs and stop TB, delivering another key step towards health for all Nigerians”

“The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, represented by Abuja Mission Lead, Dr Otun Adewale, and Gender Program Lead Ms Deborah Golan, is pleased to support Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health in realising its pledge to reach 1.17 million people with TB care, and 2.3 million people by 2030, with TB prevention treatment as committed by the nation at the United Nations High Level meeting on TB.”

Guterres, Toyin Saraki, others mull actions on gender equality, women empowerment initiatives in Africa

Stakeholders will today gather at the Africa Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to consider actions to accelerate the implementation of impactful delivery of gender equality and women’s empowerment initiatives.

Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Toyin Saraki, representatives from private sector and senior women leaders will join the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and Heads of States, at the African Union High-Level Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

Ahead of the meeting, Saraki has received a commendation from the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security, Mme Bineta Diop, for her commitment and leadership in the advancement of gender equality and women empowerment.

Saraki, who was integral to the conception and launch of the Nigeria Chapter of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) last year, expressed happiness that the meeting will afford stakeholders the opportunity to officially launch the African Women Leadership Fund (AWLF) led by the AUC, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), as part of the flagship initiatives of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN).

She is expected to join the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) for their Business Breakfast and Roundtable on Combating Hepatitis in Africa, which will launch a political declaration to combat hepatitis.

Saraki said: “It is critical that we are able to create this effective platform for leaders across governments and the private sector to collaborate and utilise opportunities to eliminate hepatitis in Africa.

“The broader theme of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, “Silencing the Guns: Creating
Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development,” demonstrates that peace and stability are the foundations of progress. There can never be health for all, or proper political representation for women, without peace.”

HE Toyin Saraki commended for ‘commitment and leadership’ ahead of African Union meeting

The founder, Wellbeing foundation Africa, Toyin Saraki is set to join UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Heads of State, representatives from the private sector and senior women leaders at the African Union High-Level Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Stakeholders are gathering at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to define actions to accelerate the implementation of impactful delivery of gender equality and women’s empowerment initiatives.

Ahead of the High-Level Meeting, Mrs Saraki was lauded by the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security, Mme Bineta Diop, for her commitment and leadership in the advancement of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

Mrs Saraki, who was integral to the conception and launch of the Nigeria Chapter of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN) in July 2019, commented:

“I am delighted that the High-Level Meeting will afford us the opportunity to officially launch the African Women Leadership Fund (AWLF) led by the AUC and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) as part of the flagship initiatives of the African Women Leaders Network (AWLN).”

“I will also join the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) for their Business Breakfast and Roundtable on Combating Hepatitis in Africa, which will launch a political declaration to combat hepatitis. It is critical that we are able to create this effective platform for leaders across governments and the private sector to collaborate and utilise opportunities to eliminate hepatitis in Africa.”

She said that the broader theme of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union which is “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development” demonstrates that peace and stability are the foundations of progress. And that there can never be health for all, or proper political representation for women, without peace.

Nigeria’s Maternity Survival Has Increased By 35percent, Says H.E. Toyin Saraki

Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Toyin Saraki has revealed that maternity survival in Nigeria has increased to 35 percent between 2010 and 2015, due to the introduction of the Midwives Service Scheme.

Saraki who made this disclosure at the World Economic Forum 50th Annual Meeting 2020, Davos in Switzerland, added that the introduction also saw 4400 more midwives deployed within the public health system.

She said, Water, sanitation and hygiene results are falling dangerously behind and nowhere is inequality more stark than in the health conditions of women, children, and adolescents.

The Founder however, called on stakeholders globally to accelerate progress for a cohesive and sustainable future, adding: “Around the world, people are revolting against the economic elites, which they have believe have betrayed them.”

Saraki promised to mobilise support and resources for midwifery competencies, to demonstrate safer birth solutions for healthy futures for all within the Davos Manifesto 2020.

She went on: “In sanitation and hygiene in Nigeria and globally continue to represent a major challenge. I welcome recent achievements and milestones, in particular WHO resolutions and country commitments, but WASH is one area where ‘business as usual’ is simply not good enough”
“Since April 2018 when the Wellbeing Foundation Africa introduced new WASH in schools and hygiene in health care facilities and households programs, while advocating to reduce open defecation, we have measured considerable impact which gives us the courage to now insist on a rapid acceleration of our best-practice models engaging midwives as sanitation angels, to national scale”

“As I reflect on the past few years of World Economic Forum meetings, my thinking has evolved: and it has become more widely accepted that the donor-recipient model of development is no longer fit for purpose. Primary health is the essential building block to ignite midwifery competencies which will fuel specialist expertise, relying on competencies on both sides and whole-system support”

“This decade must bring us all to a more equal table. The era of ‘north-south’ is gone and must be replaced by a more balanced development dialogue based on mutual respect and understanding”

“That dialogue will bring about a learning exchange and help to celebrate, demonstrate, mobilise and unite the global health workforce, as outlined by the International Confederation of Midwives, for whom I am proud to serve as the Global Goodwill Ambassador”

“In 2020, designated by the World Health Organization as the year of the Nurse and Midwife, we can kick-start the decade of action and place midwives at the core of that new dialogue and delivery. I look forward to continued work with my fellow stakeholders this week in Davos.”

She urged the private sector to rise to the challenge and work to urgently deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Wellbeing Foundation Africa Mourns Top WHO Executive, Dr Peter Salama

H.E. Toyin Saraki, Founder-President of Nigeria’s Wellbeing Foundation Africa has expressed sincere condolences to the World Health Organisation Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, on the sudden death of Dr Peter Salama, WHO Executive Director For Universal Health Coverage – Life Course which was announced on Friday January, 24, 2020,

In a statement released on January 25, 2020, Mrs. Saraki stated:

“I am deeply saddened to receive The World Health Organization announcement of the sudden death of Dr Peter Salama, Executive Director of WHO’s Division for Universal Health Coverage – Life Course.”

“I and the Wellbeing Foundation Africa extend our most profound sympathies and condolences to the WHO and Dr Salama’s family, friends and colleagues. He was 51 and leaves behind his wife and three children.”

“Pete embodied everything that is best about WHO and the United Nations – professionalism, commitment and compassion,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Our hearts are broken.”

Dr Salama, a medical epidemiologist from Australia, joined WHO in 2016 as Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies programme, which he led until 2019.

Before joining WHO, Dr Salama was Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at UNICEF, an organization that he joined in 2002.

Dr Salama led UNICEF’s global response to Ebola, served as its Representative in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe (2009–2015), Chief of Global Health and Principal Advisor on HIV/AIDS in New York (2004–2009), and Chief of Health and Nutrition in Afghanistan (2002–2004).

He had also worked with Médecins Sans Frontières and Concern Worldwide in several countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Mrs Saraki, Devex Universal Health Coverage Champion and a Special Adviser to the WHO Africa Region Office’s Independent Advisory Group concluded her condolence tribute to Dr Salama thus:

“An immensely sad loss for the WHO family and for the world of global health, Dr Salama was so generous in sharing the depth and breadth of his knowledge as we advocated to establish the essential elements for Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria, the Well-being Foundation Africa will miss him enormously, our sympathies condolences and prayers are with his colleagues, friends and family. May his soul rest in peace. Amen”

Healthy Futures: Toyin Saraki Advocates for Rapid Frontline Solutions to Maternal Mortality at Ferrings Pharmaceuticals’ Senior Leadership Internal Meeting

Sunday, 19th January, Malaga, Spain. Yesterday ahead of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa's participation at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, H.E. Mrs Toyin Saraki, Founder- President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa delivered a keynote speech on the need for urgency when implementing inventions to reduce maternal mortality to 75 senior employees of Ferrings Pharmaceuticals, including the full Executive Committee, Senior Vice Presidents, and General Managers from key markets.

During an interview with Curt McDaniel, Chief Legal Officer at Ferrings, Mrs Saraki discussed the destructive impact of post-partum Haemorrhage on women and families in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa; delivering improved and accessible health systems as a priority; and why health information in the hands of mothers is key to improving maternal outcomes.

“Although medicines are only part of the solution to strengthening health systems, they are a critical component. As a pharmaceutical group I am delighted that you have found a way to make certain maternal healthcare interventions affordable. However, I believe you should also see it as your responsibly to deliver these solutions to the people who need them the most. Through it was our political leaders that promised to deliver the sustainable development goals by 2030, we must all part of efforts, particularly in the private sector, to deliver them.” Mrs Saraki said.

Nearly 20% of all global maternal deaths happen in Nigeria . In 2015, the country’s estimated maternal mortality ratio was over 800 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births, with approx. 58 000 maternal deaths during that year1, a leading cause of which is post-partum haemorrhage.


“Post-partum haemorrhage or excessive bleeding after birth is a sudden, terrifying condition, that thousands of women in my country die unnecessarily from. Maternal mortality is not only a colossal waste of life but remains a constant, and impenetrable barrier to development. When you are making strategic decisions about the feasibility of delivering certain life-saving medications to low and middle income countries, I urge you to build into your calculations the cost of a human life. We have the technology, we have the knowledge, we have the medicines, and we now need to urgently deliver the healthcare.”

“Health systems are primarily made up of people. When seeking to build strong healthcare, we must not neglect the importance of creating effective health-seeking behaviour. We know that some risks which increase maternal mortality can be reduced through a strong relationship between a mother and midwife. For example, a woman may perceive that she is in better control of the delivery process at home. A midwife can act as a strong advocate for facility-based delivery, meaning should a mother experience a complication she is more likely to access live-saving care in time.”

“As we commence the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, I am encouraged that over 250,000 women have taken part in our midwifery services led MamaCare programme, Antenatal and Postnatal classes, delivered by a team of 55 midwives to mothers in healthcare facilities across Kwara, Ogun, Osun, Lagos, Kaduna states in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. Our MamaCare mothers are now achieving the now standard number of antenatal eight visits recommended by the WHO, and we are yet to lose a single one to death in childbirth.”

As Wellbeing Foundation Africa Founder-President, Mrs Saraki is a Global Advocate for Water Sanitation and Hygiene in Health Care Facilities, who also serves as Global Goodwill Ambassador to the International Confederation of Midwives, Family Planning Champion to the United Nations Population Fund, and International Steering Committee member of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). This week at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos Mrs Saraki will be undertaking key advocacy activities to mobilise and unite whole system support for Midwifery, a frontline profession critical towards achieving healthy futures for childbearing women. The theme of this year’s annual meeting is: Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World, which will focus on renewing the concept of stakeholder capitalism to overcome income inequality, societal division and the climate crisis.

#END#


Visit www.wbfafrica.org for more information.

"Accelerating The Promise: Nigeria's Wellbeing Foundation Africa Joins Member States and Global Development Stakeholders in Making Historic Commitments on Population and Development at Nairobi Summit"

"Toyin Saraki advocates to End Maternal Deaths, Improve Global Reproductive Health and Rightsduring the Nairobi Summit on the International Conference on Population and Development."

During the Nairobi Summit Between the 12th-14th of November 2019, H.E. Mrs Toyin Saraki, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) will join heads of state and ministers, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, representatives of the private sector, and thousands of others committed to the pursuit of reproductive health and rights. As an International Steering Committee member for the Nairobi Summit, Mrs Toyin Saraki has played a key part in laying the foundation for the summit’s success.

The summit is a high-level conference to advance the implementation of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, convened by the Government of Kenya, Government of Demark, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). During the summit, global commitments will be made and presented which will accelerate progress towards achieving the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) three zeros by 2030: zero unmet need for contraception; zero preventable maternal deaths; and zero gender-based violence and harmful practices.

The Nairobi Summit marks the 25th anniversary of the watershed ICPD Programme of Action, adopted in Cairo, Egypt, at the 1994 by 179 countries who pledged to initiate sustainable development that addressed the needs and rights of every individual, not just targeted demographics. The ICPD Programme of Action transformed women’s health and rights and underscored that successful development policy must confront inequality and be inclusive of the wellbeing and needs of the entire population.

In preparation for the Nairobi Summit, on October 28th, 2019 in Lagos, Nigeria, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, led by Mrs Toyin Saraki, hosted a High-Level Breakfast Roundtable in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The roundtable convened private, philanthropic, and multi-sector stakeholders in Nigeria to secure a series of significant commitments towards the ICPD three zeros.

In her comments at the roundtable, Mrs Toyin Saraki welcomed the commitments made, “It has been encouraging to see the private sector in Nigeria willing to step up and help us urgently act to transform health outcomes for women, children, and communities”, she highlighted that “the challenge that we always face, is how to translate the global goals into actions that will bring impact on the ground.''

Since the Programme of Action was established in 1994, maternal mortality has reduced by an estimated 40% instead of the targeted 75%; today over 800 women die each day from pregnancy and childbirth. For every single woman who dies from pregnancy and childbirth, approximately 20 others suffer serious injuries, infections, or disabilities.

In a statement released by her office Mrs Toyin Saraki remarked:

“25 years ago at the ICPD in Cairo, there was a transformation in women’s health and rights. 179 governments committed to Programme of Action for the benefit of families, communities, and nations. Since then, the world has made incredible progress. But the promise of Cairo has yet to be delivered. We have left far too many people behind. The Nairobi Summit is an opportunity for us to accelerate the promise by mobilising the political will and financial commitments that we urgently need to finally and fully implement the ICPD Programme of Action. It is time for bold action in the pursuit of sexual and reproductive health and rights. I am optimistic that this week we will realise critical progress for women and girls all over the world.”

Mrs Toyin Saraki is scheduled to deliver a Plenary Address and will participate in the panel Perseverance and Partnership: Key to Ending Gender-based Violence. The plenary is moderated by Michele Bratcher Goodwin (USA) Chancellor’s Professor, UCI and founding Director Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy, alongside the panellists, Michelle Bachelet (Chile), United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; Fatma Bulić (Bosnia), Information Centre for Persons with Disabilities; Kate Hampton, CEO, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF); Trevor Malife (Zimbabwe), Founder, Purple Hand Africa; Dr. Nagham Nawzat (Iraq) Medical doctor, Women Survivors Centre; Dr. Kakenya Ntaiya (Kenya) Founder and Executive Director, Kakenya’s Dream and The Honourable Poto Williams (New Zealand) Associate Minister for Social Development, New Zealand. Mrs Toyin Saraki will also hold bilateral development discussions with representatives of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of International Development towards the global promotion of home-based maternal and child records - a core focal target of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa.

#ENDS#




NOTES:

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa was founded in 2004 by Her Excellency Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, with the aim of improving health outcomes for women, infants and children. At the WBFA, we combine our programmes with advocacy work in Nigeria and around the world.

Over 250,000 women have taken part in our flagship ‘MamaCare’ classes in Nigeria. Despite dire national maternal mortality rates, we have not yet lost a single MamaCare mother. Our WBFA midwives transform the lives of mothers, their children and communities – and for whom no topic is off-limits.

Our Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EmONC) programme is run in partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the oldest and most established school of tropical medicine in the world, and Johnson & Johnson, one of the largest global health companies. We implement the EmONCtraining programme in Kwara State as part of a unique partnership model, bringing together an esteemed higher-education institution, the private sector, and a civil society organisation.

Our #MaternalMonday campaign was conceived as a platform for mothers and our WBFA midwives to share their knowledge, experiences & best practice. The aim of that sharing exercise is to raise awareness for the improvement of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child & adolescent health. Most importantly, we harness the power of story-telling on social media to share accurate information on maternal health.

In 2017 we launched our sister organisation, Wellbeing for Women Africa. Harnessing the best and brightest minds around African development, Wellbeing for Women Africa elevates passionate young experts into decision-making spaces, whilst honing their craft as advocates through their editorial advocacy micro-grants programme. Please visit Wellbeing for Women Africa here: https://www.wellbeingwomen.org.

The WBFA’s programmes, which have since expanded to include water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), Alive and Thrive and MamaCare+N – supported by global partners - inform its advocacy work, led by our Founder-President, H.E Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, who is a global champion for Universal Health Coverage, Special Advisor to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and the inaugural Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation on Midwives (ICM).

Toyin Saraki, UNFPA, Others Call for Action in Accelerating Progress of SDGs

The Founder of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs. Toyin Saraki in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other stakeholders drawn from the private sector, civil society organisations and child advocacy groups, yesterday made an urgent call for action in accelerating the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

They made this disclosure at a high-level roundtable on ‘Mobilising and harnessing high-level private sector, philanthropic and multi-stakeholder engagement for the Nairobi Summit on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) 25- accelerating the promise’.

The call to action is to accelerate sustainable economic and social development by contributing to ending preventable maternal deaths, unmet need of family planning and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and other harmful practices.

According to Saraki, the call to action is germane in the wake the forthcoming Nairobi Summit billed for November 12 to 14, 2019 on the ICPD25, a high-level conference to mobilise the political will and financial commitments needed urgently.

She said: “This year marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark ICPD held in Cairo in 1994. The ICPD Programme of Action was remarkable in its recognition that reproductive health and rights, as well as women’s empowerment and gender equality, are cornerstones of population and development programmes.

“We have made incredible gains since then, but too many people are still being left behind. To help achieve the 2030 Agenda for SDGs and the UN Secretary-General’s Global Strategy for Women’s Children’s and Adolescents’ Health by 2030, we must attain the goals laid out in the ICPD Programme of Action.

“Consequently, UNFPA and The Wellbeing Foundation Africa is launching a call to action to the private and philanthropic sector in Nigeria to submit commitments and showcase their tangible yet ambitious contribution in accelerating progress against the ICPD Programme of Action.

“The role of the private sector is critical to the achievement of the SDG and the implementation of the Programme of Action.”

She also charged all the stakeholders to make visible commitments to help accelerate progress towards the vision of the ICPD Programme of Action and SDGs.

The Chief of Strategic Partnerships Branch, at UNEPA, Mariarosa Cutillo, also touched on the role of the private sector and the type of commitments before, during and after the Nairobi Summit.

UNFPA is the United Nations (UN) sexual and reproductive health agency, committed to ensuring that every pregnancy is wanted, every child-birth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

The UNFPA representative said they have consistently invested and partnered government, civil society and other agencies to implement impact-driven development programmes, projects and activities that provide universal access to sexual reproductive health, promote reproductive rights, reduce maternal mortality, especially for women and young people whose ability to exercise their right to sexual and reproductive health is often compromised.

Over the years, UNFPA has recorded impact in diverse areas of public health concern especially youth sexual reproductive health and rights, sexual violence, maternal health, child marriage and population dynamics as well as accelerating progress towards the achievement of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) declaration.

Also speaking, Founder, Cece Yara, Bola Tinubu called for holistic support system and a paradigm shift in child advocacy.

Senior Pastor, House on the Rock Church, Paul Adefarasin, made a commitment on behalf of the church to work together with all relevant stakeholders.

Hope Uzokwe of Sahara Group also highlighted the partnerships they have built through their foundation, adding they have directly impacted 2 million people.

The British Deputy High Commission, Harriet Thompson harped on women and children who are victims of conflict, who are abused all over again.

But it was Busola Dakolo, celebrity photographer, and wife of popular musician, Timi that drew the loudest applause.

Dakolo, a survivor of rape and sexual abuse, took the audience through a brief journey of her ordeal and how she has worked on regaining her self-worth.

Improving Quality And Availability Of Health Care in Kwara State Nigeria; Wellbeing Foundation Africa - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Conduct EmONC Impact Evaluation Tour in Kwara State Hospitals

Wellbeing Foundation Africa Media Advisory - Press Release


16th October, 2019
Ilorin, Kwara State


The Wellbeing Foundation and The Centre for Maternal and Newborn Health of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine has announced the fourth quarter evaluation phase of its innovative Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care and Quality Improvement Programme, currently being implemented at public primary and secondary healthcare facilities in Kwara State since 2014.

The WBFA and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine will be having a follow up in facilities that were trained in quality improvement, Maternal death Audit and perinatal death audit.

This will focus on the action plan each facility made after their Quality Improvement Training.

Each facility will present on their formation of Quality Improvement team, number of meetings they have held, what action plans were developed after the meeting and which of and at what stage of implementation is the action plan.

The follow up training will be holding between October 14th and Saturday, October 25th 2019 in Patigi, Ifelodun, Oyun, Ekiti, and Oke Ero Local Government Areas of Kwara.

Training on Emergency Obstetric Care (EOC) would also hold in Moro Local Government Area of the state between Sunday, November 18th and Saturday, November 29th 2019.

“It is a facility based training, and therefore we would be going from one hospital to another, where the trainees would have the opportunity to make presentations and immediately put into practice what they have learnt”, says Wellbeing Foundation Africa's Kwara State Program Manager, Isaac Ejakhegbe.

"At the end of the training, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Wellbeing Foundation Africa expect the participants to translate the skills acquired into better care for new born and mothers in the state."

This according to Dr Mohammed Hauwa, Senior Technical Programme Officer of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine " will mean a measurable reduction in deaths of pregnant women during or after birth, still births and infant mortality in general."

Further Monitoring and Evaluation Sessions would also commence between Sunday, December 9th and Saturday, December 13th 2019 across the facilities

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa Founder, H.E. Toyin Ojora Saraki, stated:

"I have been pleased by the encouraging progress and impact of the EmONC partnership that we have been implementing since 2015, as a demonstration of the benefits of simulation case scenarios, using lifelike lo-fi anatomical models, to improve the skills and quality of healthcare services knowledge and delivery, throughout Kwara State, having to date trained 600 healthcare providers, and equipped skills laboratories for continuous training, in line with global best practice to meet the challenges faced at the frontline of health in low and middle-income countries"

" To quote The Lancet Commission on High Quality Health Systems, Health system quality is a determinant of health. Improving quality of care, and not only increasing access to care, is necessary for the success of the Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage."

"Over 8 million lives were needlessly lost due to poor quality health systems globally in 2016.
3.6 million of these deaths were due to a lack of access while 5 million were due to poor quality; improving the quality of maternal and newborn obstetric health services could decline maternal deaths by half"

"Health systems cannot be resilient to shocks without quality. At present, health systems in many low- and middle-income countries fail their communities. Good health care should not be a luxury only available to people in high-income countries or to the wealthiest in low-income countries. Too often, health providers do not follow basic clinical guidelines, omit routine screenings, fail to conduct necessary patient assessments. As a result, they commonly misdiagnose patients or prescribe inappropriate treatment."

"Poor quality is not just a function of individual providers. Health systems as a whole are struggling to provide competent care: they cannot guarantee safe procedures, timely care, referral, and care continuity for chronic disease. Primary care is underperforming, with many people preferring hospitals or specialists instead. Fewer than half of women delivering in a facility in 41 countries had a provider check on them within one hour of delivery, a critical window for detecting complications, while surgical procedures result in infections for one in ten African patients."

"The Wellbeing Foundation Africa - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine's EmONC partnership seeks to engender Kwara State Health Facilities with a high-quality health systems approach by putting people first. By modernizing the education of the health workforce and creating workplaces that enable quality reinforcement, participating health workers are acquiring competency-based education that emphasizes problem solving, strong communication, and respectful treatment"

"These healthworkers can thus consistently deliver obstetric care that improves health outcomes, is nimble to respond to changing needs, and engenders trust among the populations they serve."

ENDS

yarimo:
Na she bring bad luck for Nigeria falcon.

Because na she be the coach abi? This guy is stupid beyond saving. Just go and live in the bush alone abeg!!

hisexcellency34:
Mumu...playing football with agbada

This one na fool o. You no wish Nigeria luck in the match and still insult someone that does. You are not supposed to be born as a human being but rather as a pig � �

Toyin Saraki Appointed To United Nations Population Fund International Steering Committee On Population And Development ICPD25

- To catalyse new global and regional commitments 25 years after Cairo Summit


In a significant high-level global gender and rights commitment, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) Toyin Saraki has accepted the official invitation of the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, the United Nations' foremost sexual and reproductive health rights agency,  to join the International Steering Committee of the International Conference on Population and Development, taking place in Nairobi in November 2019.


Convened by the Governments of Kenya and Denmark, and the UNFPA, the ICPD25 Summit in Nairobi from 12–14 November 2019 will bring together heads of state and ministers, parliamentarians, thought-leaders, technical experts, civil society organizations, young people and people with disabilities, business and community leaders, faith-based organizations, international financial institutions, academics and thousands of others interested in the pursuit of reproductive health and rights, in order to mobilize the political will and financial commitments needed to deliver on the commitments made by 179 governments in Cairo in 1994 at the landmark International Conference on Population and Development, the ICPD.

Mrs Saraki joins the ICPD International Steering Committee with a focus on mobilising global and country commitments around five themes:

• Universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights as a part of universal health coverage
• Financing required to finish the ICPD Programme of Action and to sustain the gains made
• Drawing on demographic trends to drive economic growth and achieve sustainable development
• Ending gender-based violence and harmful practices
• Upholding the right to sexual and reproductive health care even in humanitarian and fragile contexts

Having commenced her new high-level global commitment during multi-lateral meetings at Women Deliver in Vancouver last week, Mrs Saraki commented:

“We stand on a gender precipice, from which we must urgently act to transform the lives of women and children. Together with my fellow members of the ICPD International Steering Committee, I envisage a world where every individual and couple, everywhere, can decide freely when to have children, and has the information, education and means to do so.  A world where no woman or girl dies from preventable complications in pregnancy or childbirth:  where no woman has to give birth without the help of a midwife, nurse or doctor. We must forge a world where no one is subjected to violence because of their gender, where no girl is forced to marry, where no girl or woman is subjected to female genital mutilation or other harmful practices.”

 “We are far from the world envisaged by the conference in Cairo 25 years ago. 830 women die every day while giving life, mostly from preventable causes. 33,000 girls are forced into child marriage and 11,000 girls face genital mutilation every day. 5 million pregnant women have been displaced by conflict or disaster and are in need of medical care. They all deserve a better world, across the life-course, from birth to age”

“I am therefore delighted to serve as a member of this important global committee, bringing Africa’s voice to the fore. I look forward to deepening Nigeria's pivotal national consultations on gender, population and development, in conjunction with the UNFPA Nigeria country office, alongside the International Steering Committee’s global terms of reference.”

Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director, commented: “As we celebrate the remarkable progress we have made in advancing the health and rights of women, we must redouble our efforts to reach those who have not yet benefited from the promise of the ICPD. The Nairobi Summit will help us rally a broad coalition of stakeholders to protect the gains made and advance the ICPD agenda to ensure that no one is left behind.”

Mrs Saraki has also served as a pioneer member of the United Nations African Women’s Leadership Network since 2017, and is a contributor to the 2019 UK-France Governments' International Consultative Dialogue for Prevention of Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI). Mrs Saraki is the Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives and a Special Adviser to the Independent Advisory Group of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa.

The UNFPA as core advocacy partner, seeks to catalyse and accelerate progress towards 'the Three Zeros' - three strategic results that it will work to achieve by 2030:

- zero unmet need for family planning;

- zero maternal deaths; and

- zero violence and harmful practices against women and girls, including child marriage and female genital mutilation.

Top International Organization, Concordia Appoints Toyin Saraki To Its Leadership Council

CONCORDIA WELCOMES H.E. TOYIN SARAKI, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT OF THE WELLBEING FOUNDATION AFRICA, TO ITS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Concordia is proud to announce the appointment of Her Excellency Toyin Saraki, Founder & President of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), to its Leadership Council.

With over two decades in advocating for maternal, newborn, and child health across Africa, Mrs Saraki has dedicated her life to empowering communities through education and gender equality. Founded in 2004 in Nigeria, WBFA strives to improve health outcomes for women, infants, and children across Africa. Through a multi-faceted strategy consisting of research, programmes, policy, education, and advocacy, WBFA—along with its sister organization, Wellbeing for Women Africa—is facilitating tangible, lasting progress towards the attainment of the SDGs, with a particular focus on SDG 3, Good Health and Well-being; SDG 5, Gender Equality; and, SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation.

Concordia welcomed Mrs Saraki as a Speaker at the launch of the 2019 Concordia Africa Initiative in London. In a conversation titled African-Led Philanthropy: Recasting the Aid-Dependent Narrative, Mrs Saraki shared her insight into the ways in which African philanthropists and corporate foundations can advance meaningful innovations to create social impact across the continent. Emphasizing the need to ensure the longevity of philanthropic projects, Mrs Saraki highlighted the critical role of community-level buy-in in cultivating a sense of ownership, responsibility, accountability, and—ultimately—sustainability.

“It was an honor to host Mrs Saraki at our inaugural Africa Initiative, where she demonstrated her unwavering commitment to the youth of Africa and shared her invaluable perspective on the role of innovative philanthropic models across the continent,” remarked Concordia Co-Founders Nicholas Logothetis and Matthew Swift. “It is with great pride that we welcome Mrs Saraki to our esteemed Leadership Council, and know that she will play an integral role in shaping our priorities, approach, and growth as we develop our Africa Initiative at the Annual Summit in New York this September and beyond.”

Upon accepting the invitation, Mrs Saraki commented: “I am honoured to join the Concordia Leadership Council, the leading organisation in fostering, elevating and sustaining cross-sector partnerships for social impact. I look forward to bringing my experience as a global advocate for inclusive health, education and economic strategies focused on improving the wellbeing and livelihoods of women, children and youth to the dialogue; I am hugely encouraged by the prospect of cascading the power and effect of the Council’s vision, mission and strategic leadership into frontline collaborations that transform the lives of my fellow Africans for the better.”

Mrs Saraki is also a global champion for Universal Health Coverage, Special Advisor to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), and the inaugural Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation on Midwives (ICM).

For a full list of Leadership Council Members, visit https://www.concordia.net/leadershipcouncil/

Toyin Saraki To Africa’s Top Health Administrators”With True Partnership, We Can Achieve More”


Founder/ President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), Mrs Toyin Ojora-Saraki has once again advocated the need for strong partnerships among organisations.

Mrs Saraki who is the Inaugural Global Goodwill Ambassador, International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) noted that such collaborations will enable the organisations and indeed the governments achieve more and make more impact.

Mrs Saraki who made this clarion call in a goodwill message to the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa Regional Office 2nd Africa Health Forum holding in Praia, Cape Verde noted that the theme” Achieving Universal Health Coverage and Health Security in Africa:The Africa We Want To See” is very apt in view of the complexity of the continent’s health-related issues.

Mrs Saraki who is also Special Adviser to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) also used the opportunity to applaud the WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for initiating the most wide-ranging reforms in the history of the organisation.

Here is her statement in full:

I thank the Government of Cabo Verde and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa as they jointly host the 2nd World Health Forum this week. With the theme ‘Achieving Universal Health Coverage and Health Security in Africa: The Africa we want to see’, the 2nd Health Forum builds upon the 1st WHO Africa Health Forum hosted in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2017. The 1st Africa Health Forum had the theme ‘Putting People First: The Road to Universal Health Coverage in Africa’. As the second iteration of the Forum commences, the outcomes of the objectives set out in 2017 are a sign of progress and Africa’s commitment to attain the highest possible level of health for its people as articulated in the WHO Constitution, the African Union Health Strategy 2016 – 2030 and Agenda 2063, and the Transformation Agenda of the WHO African Region.

In this first year since I accepted my appointment as a Special Advisor within the WHO Africa Regional Office’s Independent Advisory Group, I have supported the continued progress of the WHO Africa Regional Office in providing improved access to quality care across the continent. At the 3rd meeting of the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) in Johannesburg, South Africa in March 2018, we focused on repositioning the work of the WHO in Africa in the context of the WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13) and the global WHO Transformation Plan. In particular, I welcomed the introduction of WHO AFRO’s focused curriculum for the professional qualification education of Midwives and Nurses in Africa.

When Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus became the first African Director-General of the WHO in 2017, I welcomed his commitment to Universal Health Coverage as representing bold leadership and I looked forward to working closely with him and Dr. Moeti as Regional Director of the WHO Africa Regional Office. On the 6th of March 2019, Dr. Tedros announced the most wide-ranging reforms in the history of the WHO to modernize and strengthen the institution; I was pleased at this clarion affirmation of a gender focus in the internal reforms and the missions of the WHO. That today over 60% of the senior positions at the WHO are held by women is a desirable achievement towards speaking up for women and girls’ right to health.

The African continent currently faces a number of complex health challenges. As the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) approached 1000 cases amid increased violence last week, I commend the reaffirmation by the WHO of its commitment both to ending the outbreak and working with the government and communities to build resilient health systems. At this crucial time for improved healthcare outcomes across the African continent and the effective management of containing disease outbreaks, I am both inspired and humbled by the frontline health workers and 700 WHO staff in DRC who are working hard with partners to listen to the affected communities and address their concerns.

As we observed World Tuberculosis Day earlier this week on Sunday, 24th of March, the efforts of the WHO announced by Dr. Tedros through the FIND. TREAT. ALL joint initiative in partnership with the Stop TB Partnership and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria highlights the importance of working in partnership to collaborate on enabling access to the care for the millions who miss out on quality TB care each year. As Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, I have experienced how through partnerships we can achieve so much more than what we can achieve alone. Strong partnerships and collaboration have always led to longer term results. Indeed, we go farther, together. I agree with the WHO that it is only by setting standards to strengthen and accelerate joint responses can the world meet the commitments set forth in the WHO End TB Strategy, Stop TB Global Plan to End TB and Sustainable Development Goals.

Today, as the Global Health Community faces new crises spurred by natural disasters, the WHO has been demonstrably effective in the provision of timely resources and solutions. As efforts continue to ramp up the health response in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai, which struck and displaced thousands of people in Southern Africa across Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, I stand with the WHO and its leadership through its Africa Regional Office and Dr. Moeti in efforts to provide urgent assistance to the region.

On January 31, 2019, the Executive Board of the World Health Organization endorsed a call for 2020 to be officially recognized as the ‘Year of the Nurse and Midwife’. This announcement is a milestone on the path to giving nurses and midwives, alongside all frontline health workers, the necessary recognition, agency and resources they need to deliver the highest possible healthcare outcomes across the continuum of care. It gladdens my heart and the hearts of midwives and nurses across the world that next year will see the spotlight shine on them, and their historical forebear, Florence Nightingale.

Thank you once again for the invitation to join you this Forum – I wish you the very best in your discussions. Most importantly, I look forward to working with the WHO and its Africa Regional Office towards Universal Health Coverage across the continent and creating the Africa We Want to See.

Press Release
March 26, 2019


PDP Senate Caucus to APC: Leave Saraki Out of Your Jostle for Senate Presidency

The Senate caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on their counterparts in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop dragging the name of the incumbent Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, into the schemes and plots by Senators-elect of the ruling party over who and who gets elected into the leadership of the Ninth Senate.

In a statement signed by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Sen. Dino Melaye, the PDP caucus stated that it has observed closely as the contenders for the various Senate leadership posts in the APC sponsor various publications in the media to make it appear that Dr. Saraki is seeking to play a role in who occupy the various leadership posts in the next Senate.

The PDP Senate caucus warned that such surreptitious attempts to drag Saraki into the issue that does not concern him would not augur well for the smooth take-off of the next Senate and could only create suspicion and ill-will among the incumbent Senators and the incoming ones.

“We have noted with regret and surprise how some Senators who are interested in becoming the next Senate President and those seeking to occupy various leadership positions in the next Senate have been busy dragging the name of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, into their schemes for fulfilling their ambitions. We believe those involved in this dirty game are only afraid of the shadow of the Senate President.

“Such people should know that Dr. Saraki is not interested in their plots, schemes and manipulation. His concern now is to continue to provide leadership to the Eighth Senate and to ensure that the Senate achieves as much as it is possible in the remaining two months of its tenure.

“It is obvious that many Senators and even Senators-elect still defer to Saraki. And this is understandable because he is a national leader of the PDP. He is a respected Senator who has also provided solid leadership for the Senate. So, those who are afraid of his influence should find a positive way to deal with that, not sponsoring falsehood in the media.

“Last week, PDP Senators paid Dr. Saraki a visit in his home as a way of encouraging him and in recognition of the personal sacrifice that he has had to make for providing strong and purposeful leadership to the National Assembly, for protecting the independence of the legislature and judiciary, separation of powers, inclusiveness in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious Nigeria and working for the creation of a conducive environment for business to thrive. Those who are not sure of their grounds in their quest for Senate leadership are busy putting a spin on that visit.

“Let it be known that no matter the mischief being sponsored by these spineless people, Dr. Saraki knows that it is the duty of all Senators in the Ninth Senate to elect their Senate President and other leaders. Nobody from outside the Senate has such powers. It is also the right of every Senator to aspire to that position as stated by the constitution. He has benefitted from this practice of Senators within the chambers exercising the right. He is conscious of this fact and will not be a party to any plan to seize or interfere with the process of evolving the leadership of the Ninth Senate.

“We therefore urge the APC gladiators and their handlers to leave Saraki out of their schemes and manipulations. They should go and concentrate on how to convince the Senators-elect and ensuring that the election of the next Senate President takes place in a conducive atmosphere with a view to strengthening the institution and making it perform its constitutional roles, without any hinderance”, the caucus stated.

Signed
1. Sen. Biodun Olujimi
Senate Minority Leader

2. Sen. Dino Melaye
Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT

Toyin Saraki to Davos: Focus on Community Partners to make Foreign Direct Investment a Success


Toyin Saraki, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, made a series of high-level interventions at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week. Mrs Saraki urged the 65 world leaders and 3,000 participants to abandon ‘business as usual’ in recognition of the $33 billion gap in funding for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, and called for enhanced collaboration between sectors to bring sustainable results to the grassroots level, as participants at Davos met to discuss the theme ‘Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.’

At a World Economic Forum Session focused on sustainable models for development hosted by Merck for Mothers, Devex and the Global Financing Facility, with speakers from Philips Healthcare and Credit Suisse among others, Mrs Saraki commented:

“Where there are gaps in provision, unmet by the public sector, we need to consider new strategies for foreign direct investment and domestic resource mobilisation.”

“At the Wellbeing Foundation Africa we are proud to have had hugely successful partnerships with the private sector, achieving sustainable and scalable impact at the grassroots level.”

“For those who wish to achieve that impact it is crucial to find the right implementing partners - who not only understand the communities you wish to work with and for, but indeed partners who come from those communities.”

“My message to Davos is that we cannot accept a ‘business as usual approach’ and I welcome the intervention by Bill Gates this week. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has shown how much can be achieved by smart investment – indeed, as pointed out by Bill, investing in global health organizations aimed at increasing access to vaccines creates a 20-to-1 return.”

Commending Dr. Mwele Malecela, Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases at the WHO, for her leadership on NTDs and the associated key issues, such as improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) standards, Mrs Saraki also conducted an exploratory meeting with Ellen Agler, CEO of The END Fund. Nigeria has the largest NTD burden in Africa, with more than 128 million people requiring treatment for at least one NTD in 2016 and all five of the most common NTDs being present in the country: intestinal worms, river blindness, trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, and schistosomiasis.

Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs Toyin Saraki has joined Her Excellency Mrs. Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of Rwanda, Her Excellency Mrs. Martine Moise, First Lady of Haiti and Her Royal Highness Sarah Zeid, Princess of Jordan on the “Women of Impact: Global Leaders Creating Positive Change” plenary panel at the International Conference on Family Planning in Kigali, Rwanda.

Mrs Saraki in her address commended Rwanda’s recent progress on healthcare outcomes and called for primary healthcare to be put at the heart of health systems and to improve family planning access around the world.

She said: “It is indeed a pleasure to be here in Rwanda, where tremendous progress has been made in recent years by women, adolescents, the Government, civil society and partners. As Bill Gates recently said, ‘the results in Rwanda show how a strong primary healthcare programme can reap improved healthcare outcomes.

“What I want for every woman, child and every citizen, is to be happy and healthy. I want every girl to have a full and proper childhood, with a fitting education. I want every woman to be safe, happy and healthy. I want her to be able to bring children into the world safely, at a time of her choosing, and to be able to nurture from birth to age. I want her to have choice.”

She stated further that, “There is hardly a goal that we want that cannot be dealt with at the primary health investment level. If we invest in primary health, it gives us a platform to push through everything else that we want to push through. Primary healthcare to me represents a constantly renewed positive social contract and bond between a Government and its people. It remains one of the most strategic investments in the health and wellbeing of women.

“I am very excited by our plans to invest in primary healthcare centres across Nigeria to bring affordable and quality care at the heart of communities. This is a huge investment with several expert partners which will, I believe, help to rejuvenate cities, towns and villages – releasing the demographic dividend in each of them. Those centres will bring together everything that a citizen needs for holistic care – from immunization to family planning – and address the huge gap in health insurance and access to quality care.”

Mrs Saraki thanked Rwandan government for the incredible example in the health space, to the co-hosts of this conference the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Rwanda’s Ministry of Health.

Following the panel Mrs Saraki held multilateral meetings, including with the Rwandan Minister of Health Dr. Diane Gashumba and Dr Patrick Ndimubanzi, the Rwandan State Minister of Public and Primary Healthcare.

The International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) provides an opportunity for political leaders, scientists, researchers, policymakers, advocates, and youth to disseminate knowledge, celebrate successes, and identify next steps toward reaching the goal of enabling an additional 120 million women to access voluntary, quality contraception by 2020.

Ground-breaking Health Partnership Launched by @wellbeingafrica to Expand Across Kwara State


The ground-breaking partnership between the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), Johnson & Johnson and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine is set to expand across the whole of Kwara State, in an announcement due to take place today.

The partnership, which focuses on Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (EmONC) training in healthcare facilities to improve health outcomes for mothers and their newborns, has already been active in 7 of the 16 Local Government areas in Kwara State, and resulted in a 15% reduction in maternal case fatality rate and a 38% reduction in the still birth rate in health care facilities where the project is implemented. It will now cover all 16 LGAs and consolidate the work in the areas in which the training is already active. This follows the successful completion of the first two phases of the partnership, which have been hailed as transforming the capacity of healthcare workers and their ability to save lives during labour.

Her Excellency Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), commented:

“Partnerships like ours are so important because of the huge improvements that can readily be made. 80% of all maternal deaths result from five complications which can be readily treated by qualified and trained health professionals: haemorrhage, sepsis, eclampsia, complications of abortion and obstructed labour. Our EmONC training is so successful because it takes place in-house and equips doctors, nurses and midwives, as a collective team, with the skills needed to overcome these obstetric emergencies.”

“We will build on the lessons we have learned from our partnership to improve outcomes across all LGAs in Kwara State. I look forward to working together with our esteemed partners, local champions and health workers, to continue to save lives and help mothers, newborns and communities thrive.”
Michelle Akande, Country Manager for Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson in Nigeria, commented: “We believe, in partnerships, we can achieve so much more than what we can achieve alone. Because of partners such as Wellbeing Foundation Africa and the Centre for Maternal and Newborn Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, we believe we can achieve the aspiration of ending preventable maternal and child death. However, we need each and every one of you to join us because it is our collective dedication and commitment that will make this aspiration a reality!”

Dr Charles Ameh, Senior Clinical Lecturer, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) said:
"What is particularly exciting about phase three of this programme is the ability to be able to improve the availability and quality of emergency obstetric and newborn care across the entire state. The continued partnership with Johnson & Johnson, Wellbeing Foundation Africa and the Ministry of Health in Kwara State will not only allow LSTM to build the capacity of health care workers in LGAs where we have not worked before, but we will be consolidating the achievements of previous phases to ensure sustainability of the intervention."

Toyin Saraki calls for greater progress on breastfeeding at Federal Ministry of Health World Breastfeeding Week event



At the World Breastfeeding Week Ministerial Flag-off & High-Level Policy Dialogue on Progress on Promoting Breastfeeding for Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Special Adviser to the Independent Advisory Group of the World Health Organization Africa Regional Office, H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, delivered a rallying call for Nigeria to reach its breastfeeding targets – and in doing so save millions of lives.

World Breastfeeding Week commemorates the Innocenti Declaration signed in August 1990 by governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and other organizations, to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. The event, held in Abuja yesterday, was attended by Prof. Isaac Adewole, Nigeria’s Minister for Health, and representatives of the WHO, as well a broad section of civil society and medical professionals.

H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, who was appointed to advise the WHO in Africa earlier this year, used her Goodwill Message to call for action on breastfeeding in Nigeria. She commented:

“The WHO recommends the commencement of exclusive breastfeeding within one hour after birth, and until a baby is 6 months old. Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or beyond. The campaign focus for the WHO during this year’s World Breastfeeding Week is the importance of helping mothers breastfeed their babies with the first hour of life. That crucial first hour is one which all mothers and healthcare professionals must hold to be of the utmost importance. The so-called ‘first vaccine’ of a baby is the goal: the first skin-to-skin contact along with suckling at the breast stimulates the production of breastmilk, including colostrum, which provides a rich dose of nutrients and antibodies.”

“In 2012, the World Health Assembly Resolution 65.6 endorsed a Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition which specified six global nutrition targets for 2025 – including increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months up to at least 50%. For Nigeria to move towards such a rate, we must heed the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, but also adopt a multi-sectoral, partnerships-based approach.”

“The Wellbeing Foundation Africa is a proud partner of Alive and Thrive, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and managed by FHI360. Alive & Thrive saves lives, prevents illness and ensures healthy growth and development through improved breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, through a four-pronged approach: policy and advocacy; interpersonal communication and community mobilization; mass communication; and strategic use of data.”

Her Excellency Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki is also Wife of the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) and Inaugural Global Goodwill Ambassador, International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). She was represented yesterday by Mrs Amy Oyekunle, CEO of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa.

Ingocof:
Shut up and tell your husband to submit himself to the police for the interrogation, he needs to be prosecuted

Idiot!!! Stupid myopic slave to a senile dictator! Get out of here!

Toyin Saraki judges Cannes Lions in landmark first for Nigeria; praises innovators and change-makers


At the invitation of Cannes Lions, the International Festival of Creativity, H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki is this week serving as a jury member for participants competing towards the Lion award and celebrating the best creative work from around the world. The Cannes Lions this year saw landmark themes on gender equality, creating positive change for society in the creative industry and the role of women in media.

Mrs Saraki's role at Cannes Lions marks the first time that the juries have included a representative from Nigeria.

Mrs Saraki, who is the Founder-President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and International Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), commented:

“I am delighted to have been selected as a global creative leader to act as member of the jury selected from around the world, convening with the successful global campaigns, agencies, clients, networks and countries in the Cannes worldwide platform.”

“As a judge for Cannes Lions for the Glass: The Lion for Change Award, I am committed to ensuring creativity thrives for its value to humanity above all. “

“The innovation I have witnessed this week has been inspiring and I commend all those who use their creative talents for the greater good.”

Read the full list via: https://www.canneslions.com/press-releases/jury-announced

H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki congratulates Mrs Hafsat Abiola-Costello on her appointment as Executive President of Women in Africa (WIA) Initiative


The Wife of the Senate President and Chair, Forum of Senators' Wives, 8th Assembly, Her Excellency, Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, has sent her congratulatory remark to Mrs Hafsat Abiola-Costello on her appointment as the Executive President of the Women in Africa (WIA) Initiative, describing the appointment as testament to her resilience and dedication to the advancement of women, and her passion for the continent’s development.

In her remarks, Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki also congratulated Mrs Hafsat Abiola-Costello and her family for the posthumous recognition of her father, Late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the June 12, 1993 election.

H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, who is the WBFA Founder-President, commented:

“I also congratulate her and the entire MKO Abiola family for the posthumous recognition of your father and patriarch, the Late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the 1993 election and his posthumous honour with the title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). Knowing how she and her siblings fought long and hard to see this day, I commend her tenacity and dedication to the course for which your parents lived and died for. Like many Nigerians, I am glad to see the efforts of Late Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola recognized and his legacy to democracy immortalized.”

"It goes without saying, that as a member of the United Nations-African Union's African Women's Leadership Initiative under the inspiration of Madame Bineta Diop, not only do I celebrate the efforts of MKO Abiola in seeking to defend his mandate, I also recognise the ultimate sacrifice of his wife, your dear mother of blessed memory, Kudirat Abiola, whose life was cut down as she strove doggedly to defend and support her husband and his mandate, emerging, and dying, as an unparalleled icon of women leadership, dedication and devotion to democratic suffrage"

President Mohammedu Buhari had on the 6th of June 2018, posthumously recognised Late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, as the duly elected President of the June 12th, 1993 election and declared June 12th as the new Democracy Day. The President also posthumously conferred the title of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic on Late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola.