The Ogun State Council of the Ward Development Committee has thrown its weight behind the proposed Safe Motherhood Bill before the Ogun State House of Assembly, declaring that no woman should lose her life while giving birth.
The State Chairman of the WDC, Alhaji Asiwaju Dapo Wahab, made the committee’s position known during a public hearing on the proposed legislation held at the Ogun State House of Assembly in Abeokuta. A copy of the presentation made available to journalists on Thursday stated that the committee described the bill as a crucial step towards improving maternal healthcare and safeguarding the lives of women across the state.
Addressing the Speaker of the House, lawmakers, the Commissioner for Health and other stakeholders, Wahab said the WDC fully supported the proposed law because it would strengthen the legal framework for safe motherhood and reduce preventable maternal deaths.
“We wholeheartedly support this landmark bill because no woman should lose her life while giving life. This legislation presents another significant opportunity to consolidate the gains already recorded in the health sector by providing a stronger legal framework for safe motherhood, reducing maternal morbidity and mortality, promoting reproductive health, and protecting the lives and dignity of women in accordance with the law,” he said.
The WDC chairman commended the Ogun State Government and the Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board for what he described as their sustained commitment to strengthening primary healthcare, improving maternal and child health services, and expanding access to quality healthcare across communities.
According to him, the interventions of the government have continued to improve health outcomes and deserve the support of all stakeholders.
“As community representatives working closely with Primary Health Care facilities across all 236 wards of Ogun State, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting government through community mobilisation, health education, advocacy and citizen participation,” Wahab stated.
He also called for sustained investment in primary healthcare, continuous training of healthcare workers, improved availability of essential medicines, emergency obstetric services and stronger collaboration among government agencies, development partners and local communities.
Wahab expressed confidence that effective implementation of the proposed legislation would make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women across the state.
“Together, through effective implementation and collective responsibility, we can ensure that every pregnancy is safer, every childbirth is attended with quality care, and every mother has the opportunity to live, nurture her family and contribute to the development of our state. Every mother matters. Every life counts. Together, we can build a healthier Ogun State,” he added.
