MINISTER
of Health, Professor Christian Onyebuchi Chukwu, has declared that the
introduction of Misoprostol and Chlorhexidine to prevent infant and
mother death in Nigeria was a landmark achievement of the President
Goodluck Jonathan-led administration.
Speaking in Bauchi at a joint press briefing with Governor Isa Yuguda, the minister declared that the Jonathan-led administration took a bold step in introducing the drugs, even before the World Health Organisation (WHO) introduced it on its essential drugs list.
"This is something that I am happy is happening under the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.The National Council on Health, based on the result of trials, adopted the use of Misoprostol for the purpose of controlling primary postpartum haemorrage. Postpartum haemorrhage is the number one killer of women who get pregnant.
"When I came on board as minister, it was not included it on our essential drug list but finally I used my power as minister to include it. That is how Nigeria became the first country in the world
to include Misoprostol on its essential drug list even before WHO. Six to nine months after Nigeria did this, WHO now introduced it. We know the benefit," the minister said.
While declaring that the two drugs were safe and cheap, Professor Chukwu informed that the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had given approval for the production of the drugs in Nigeria by Ogun State-based company, Drug Field Pharmaceuticals Limited.
According to the minister, the company would be the first in Africa to produce the drugs for people's use.
Also speaking, Governor Yuguda reiterated the commitment of his administration to tackling maternal and infant death in the state, declaring that there was no reason women should be dying because of childbirth.
The governor stated that it was in view of this that his administration spent N52 million to procure Misoprostol and Chlorhexidine, in a bid to keeping both mother and child safe.
According to him, while Misoprostol was meant to stop mothers from bleeding after child birth, Chlorhexidin was for the prevention of child infection through the umbilical cord, adding that since the launch of the drugs in December 2013 in the state, 6,000 women had received Mistoprostol, while the same number of infants were given Chlorhexidine.
"We have launched our own community-based distribution programme with technical support from USAID-funded Targeted States High Impact Project (TSHIP)," Governor Yuguda said.
"Once again, I restate the commitment of the present administration to the well-being of our women and children,” he added.
Speaking in Bauchi at a joint press briefing with Governor Isa Yuguda, the minister declared that the Jonathan-led administration took a bold step in introducing the drugs, even before the World Health Organisation (WHO) introduced it on its essential drugs list.
"This is something that I am happy is happening under the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.The National Council on Health, based on the result of trials, adopted the use of Misoprostol for the purpose of controlling primary postpartum haemorrage. Postpartum haemorrhage is the number one killer of women who get pregnant.
"When I came on board as minister, it was not included it on our essential drug list but finally I used my power as minister to include it. That is how Nigeria became the first country in the world
to include Misoprostol on its essential drug list even before WHO. Six to nine months after Nigeria did this, WHO now introduced it. We know the benefit," the minister said.
While declaring that the two drugs were safe and cheap, Professor Chukwu informed that the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had given approval for the production of the drugs in Nigeria by Ogun State-based company, Drug Field Pharmaceuticals Limited.
According to the minister, the company would be the first in Africa to produce the drugs for people's use.
Also speaking, Governor Yuguda reiterated the commitment of his administration to tackling maternal and infant death in the state, declaring that there was no reason women should be dying because of childbirth.
The governor stated that it was in view of this that his administration spent N52 million to procure Misoprostol and Chlorhexidine, in a bid to keeping both mother and child safe.
According to him, while Misoprostol was meant to stop mothers from bleeding after child birth, Chlorhexidin was for the prevention of child infection through the umbilical cord, adding that since the launch of the drugs in December 2013 in the state, 6,000 women had received Mistoprostol, while the same number of infants were given Chlorhexidine.
"We have launched our own community-based distribution programme with technical support from USAID-funded Targeted States High Impact Project (TSHIP)," Governor Yuguda said.
"Once again, I restate the commitment of the present administration to the well-being of our women and children,” he added.
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