The Federal Government
has expressed readiness to address neonatal death challenge and promote effective application of life saving neonatal commodities “Chlorhexiden” for women and children in the county.
The Coordinator, Health Promotion Division, Family Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja Mrs Evelyn Agbanyim, made this known in Asaba.
Agbanyim said they were in Asaba to sensitise stakeholders to the need for adequate funding and effective application of life saving neonatal commodities “Chlorhexiden” for women and children.
Agbanyim, who led a team of medical personnel to the state, said that the team would meet with stakeholders to create advocacy on the use of neonatal commodities to prevent neonatal deaths.
She described neonatal death as such death that occurs within few weeks or months after a child has been successfully delivered.
This she attributed to negligence on the part of the parents for failing to apply the right medication on or before a child was born.
She said that her team had been in the state for three days meeting with various groups to ensure that neonatal mortality was reduced to a bearable minimum in the state.
According to her, the report received from the Delta Primary Health Care Development Agency revealed that no fewer than 220 neonatal deaths were recorded in Oshimili South Local Government Area alone in 2014.
She noted that the mortality rate was alarming if only one Local Government Area (LGA) out of 25 in the state could record 220 neonatal deaths in a year.
Agbanyim added that neonatal deaths were preventable if the right medication were applied to the mother and the child.
According to her, efforts made to check the trend in the last ten years are slow due to skills gap, poor referral network, activities of traditional birth attendants and traditional beliefs among others.
“The neonatal commodities are four; the Antenatal Corticosteriods is giving to pregnant woman at risk of delivering prematurely aimed at strengthening the lungs of the premature baby.
“Four per cent Chlorhexiden Gel is used for umbilical cord care within two hours of the child delivery to prevent contamination by germ until the cord cuts off.
“We also have the injectable antibiotics aimed at preventing neonatal deaths and the last is the resuscitation devices to check asphyxia (difficulties in breathing) in newly born babies,” she explained.
She noted that the only way to achieve success in reducing neonatal deaths was for all stakeholders to partner, ensure adequate funding and effective application of the life saving commodities for women and children.
“We are creating awareness on these commodities and of the four, only Chlorhexiden is the only new product and others are currently being underutilized even though they are very affordable.
So the sharholders should ensure  adequatesupply of the commodities and increased demand for them to promote better health for our children and reduce neonatal mortality in the country,” Agbanyim said.