By: News Peddlers
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| Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu |
Through an NGO, Jumejilo Multi-Birth Assistance Programme (JMAP), the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has initiated a support package that will aid successful deliveries, provide assistance for multi-birth families, and expand access to quality healthcare for low-income families.
The Governor's wife celebrated the JMAP Programme as a "dream come true" that was conceptualised in 2021, while delivering check and gift presentations to the first group of beneficiaries on Tuesday at Lagos House Ikeja.
The First Lady's NGO, JMAP, was created to supplement the output of other existing initiatives and support systems in the Lagos State health sector for parents of High Order Multiple (HOM) pregnancies, adding that the JMAP Programme will alleviate medical complications, mortalities, and disorders associated with multiple births, such as premature delivery, preeclampsia, and irregular foetal growth, among others.
She said: “The JMAP intervention was initiated in 2021 by my Office against the background of the rising rate of multiple births in the State and the neonatal mortality associated with High Order Multiple (HOM) pregnancies among low-income families.
“Available data indicates that Lagos has an infant mortality rate of 39 per cent per 1,000 live births monthly, with preterm complications significantly accounting for the high mortality."
The First Lady noted that a quote by Owen Arthur, a former Prime Minister of Barbados, "For he who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything," vividly captures the essence of her intervention through the NGO, which seeks to extend hope to families who truly need help.
The First Lady stated that support for multiple-birth parents and infants will take the shape of socioeconomic assistance, ongoing education, empowerment, social inclusion, and a welfare support system.
Speaking about the Jumejilo Multi-Birth Assistance Programme's modalities, the Governor's wife stated that the beneficiaries will also receive postnatal care over a 12-month cycle, during which the multi-birth households will receive social empowerment, health education, and economic sustainability programmes, as well as follow-up social and welfare engagements as the babies develop.
In her words: “Potential JMAP beneficiaries must be below 60 years, while their socio-economic status (in respect of annual income) must not be more than N250,000 per household. Prospective beneficiaries must also have Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) Cards as proof of residential status with utility bills of at least 12 months; they must be an expectant or current multiple-birth mother with triplets or more that are between ages 0 and 5 years.”
She clarified that the JMAP Programme was not established as a traditional NGO providing monetary assistance to the public, explaining that the financial assistance provided to the beneficiaries will only be provided specifically as sustenance for multi-birth parents in accordance with the Program's objective.
The Governor's wife also utilised the event to invite like-minded persons, public-spirited individuals, and business organisations to support her vision of offering hope to needy families, ensuring that the project will be perpetuated as a platform to make a good change in our community.
Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, the wife of the Deputy Governor, stated that the life-changing initiative has highlighted the First Lady, Dr. Mrs Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu's motherly instinct in ensuring that numerous challenges associated with multiple births are mitigated through this applauding Jumejilo initiative.
"Given the extensive evidence that twins and other multiple births are associated with a significantly higher risk of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide," she said, "this initiative will further strengthen the window of opportunities and would be of enormous assistance to multiple birth parents."
While applauding all recipients, beneficiaries, and stakeholders of the wonderful project, Mrs.Oluremi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor's wife, urged members of the press to give this launch the maximum coverage possible.
One of the overjoyed recipients, Mr. Tunde Ilufoye, a father of triplets, expressed his gratitude to the NGO backed by the First Lady and promised to spread the good news and the government's participation in assisting parents with multiple births.
As part of the program's inauguration and award ceremony, two multiple birth mothers - one with quadruplets and another with triplets - received JMAP Babies Awards, which included cash and different baby supplies among other gifts.
The event had in attendance the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Abimbola Salu-Hudeyin, Body of Permanent Secretaries, Top Government Functionaries, Non-Governmental Organisations, Civil Service Organisations, Corporate Bodies, beneficiaries of the initiative among others.
Olubunkola Nwonah
Director, Public Affairs
Office of the First Lady, Lagos State.
25th July,2023.