As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, operator of the NPDC/SEPLAT Joint Venture, has held its annual Safe Motherhood Initiative medical outreach.
Now in its 7th year, the Safe Motherhood Initiative outreach which was held at Sapele, Delta State, the operational base of Seplat’s Western Assets, is put together annually to address the needs of pregnant women in host communities.
The programme directly closes the need for quality maternal and child health care. (According to the World Health Organisation (2010), the infant mortality rate in Nigeria is 71 deaths per 1000 live births and a woman’s chance of dying from pregnancy and childbirth is 1 in 3.
The Safe Motherhood Initiative serves as an opportunity to equip expectant mothers with safe pregnancy and child care tips in order to address the issue of child and maternal mortality. At Safe Motherhood outreaches, mothers and pregnant women are educated on proper nutrition, personal and child hygiene, child spacing among other important tips to guide them through the critical period of pregnancy.
Apart from providing life saving tips and training, essential drugs and insecticide treated mosquito nets and maternity bags are handed to all expectant mothers.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Emmanuel Otokhine, Base Manager, Western Assets, SEPLAT, who represented Mr. Austin Avuru, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Dr. Chioma Nwachuku, the General Manager, External Affairs and Communications, stated that the initiative formed part of Seplat’s agenda to positively impact the lives of the people of its operational areas across the country.
“The programme has been impactful in the reduction of maternal and child mortality in our communities through the upgrade and renovation of a 30 bed female and pediatric ward at the Central Hospital in Sapele, the provision of safe delivery kits, insecticide treated nets and distribution of supplements and vitamins. The Safe Motherhood programme helps Nigeria meet up with SDG 3 which promotes good health and well-being,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Efifia Chu, Deputy Manager, SEPLAT JV, NPDC, emphasised that host communities are critical stakeholders and as partners that are committed to shared value, NPDC/Seplat JV is doing everything possible to put in place interventions that will benefit host communities. He further assured that the company is firmly committed to sustaining the Safe Motherhood CSR health programmes and other initiatives targeted at the socio-economic development of Delta State.
Dr. Ikoro Efe, Director, Gas, Delta State Ministry of Oil & Gas, the representative of Delta State Commissioner for Health, commended Seplat for the CSR programmes which have positively impacted the lives of members of the host communities. He urged the company to sustain the initiative.
“This is very commendable and I would like to say a big thank you to Seplat for coming up with such an initiative to support the Delta state government and its people,” he said, urging other companies to emulate such gesture from Seplat.
The event had in attendance traditional rulers, community leaders, key government functionaries and management/staff of Seplat.
