NHIA launches neonatal programme in Kano to expand maternal health services

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has launched the neonatal component of its comprehensive emergency obstetrics and neonatal care (CEmONC) programme in Kano state.

The CEmONC programme designed to provide timely, life-saving interventions for women facing complications during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.

The programme covers emergency obstetric care such as caesarean sections, management of eclampsia, severe bleeding, obstructed labour and treatment of infections.

By adding the neonatal arm, NHIA aims to provide a continuum of care, from safe pregnancy and delivery to the survival and well-being of the newborn.

In a statement on Monday, the NHIA said the component was unveiled at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) after a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the NHIA and the hospital.

The NHIA said the move, aimed at reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

Kelechi Ohiri, NHIA director-general, said the neonatal intervention is built on the success of the maternal component of CEmONC, which is already running in over 200 facilities nationwide.

Ohiri, who was represented by Sikiru Salaudeen, director, informal sector department, NHIA, said that more than 14,000 women had benefitted from the maternal services since inception, with Kano accounting for about 40 percent of the beneficiaries.

“The neonatal component will focus on birth asphyxia, neonatal sepsis, neonatal jaundice and acute surgical emergencies,” he said.

“To ensure accountability, independent external verifiers have been engaged to monitor the programme.”

Ohiri said while Lagos piloted the neonatal services in four facilities representing the south-west, Kano would also host four hospitals for the pilot scheme.

He listed the facilities as AKTH, Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, and Khalifah Shiek Isiyaka Rabiu Paediatric Hospital.

Abdurahman Suwaid, chairman of the medical advisory committee at AKTH, who represented the chief medical director, commended NHIA for expanding its scope of services.

He said the hospital had treated 972 women under the maternal arm of the CEmONC initiative, describing the hospital as the largest holder of NHIA beneficiaries nationwide.

On his part, Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, Kano state commissioner for health, witnessed the MoU signing and pledged the government’s continued support for maternal and child health programmes.