Posted on: Mon 24-02-2025

strong>• Provost advocates town, gown partnership to improve healthcare

Academics and researchers from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), as well as government officials in the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Ministry of Innovation Science and Technology, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board (PHCB), and the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) committee have collaborated towards improving maternal and newborn health.

Meanwhile, the College of Medicine, UNILAG, in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, has been implementing the Lagos Verbal and Social Autopsy Sample Registration System (LVASA-SRS) project to reduce maternal and stillbirth deaths.

The project aims to establish a state-wide SRS to, in the first instance, generate reliable estimates for maternal deaths and stillbirths in Lagos State. and to determine both the common causes of maternal deaths and the community factors that contribute to them.

A co-principal investigator and champion for Maternal and Newborn Health, Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas, who spoke on the importance of the project, said the LVASA-SRS project employs a systematic approach by engaging community actors and scientists to document and investigate deaths when they occur. He said that the project, which had been operational for over a year, is expected to yield precise data that would assist policymakers in making informed decisions.

Banke-Thomas added that Lagos State had been making significant efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality, but according to experts, accurate data is crucial for implementing effective strategies.

An obstetrician gynaecologist, and co-investigator in the project, Dr Imosemi Donald, emphasised the importance of a strong healthcare system in tackling maternal and neonatal deaths, saying: “The health and strength of any state or country are measured by how well they care for mothers and children.”

Donald also noted that collaboration between Lagos State and leading health researchers underscores the commitment to improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.

RELATEDLY, the Provost, College of Medicine, UNILAG, Prof. Ademola Oremosu, has advocated town and gown partnership for an improved healthcare system.

Oremosu, who spoke, yesterday, during the eighth Medical Laboratory Science induction and awards ceremony, said that the town and gown must come together to change the narrative. He, however, stressed the need for more infrastructure.

The Guest Speaker, Anyanwu Okechukwu, also stressed the need for policyholders and other stakeholders to look inwards and harness the resources that we have for the betterment of the country.

Another lecturer of the college, Uchuno Gregory, said the government must improve the quality of service to curb the exit of medical professionals in the country.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

---

---