The Healthy Mum and Baby Project aimed to improve maternal and child healthcare in Oke-ose, an underserved community in Ilorin. The project's goals were to advocate for improved maternal healthcare through health education and increase access to quality antenatal and postnatal care.
The project was initiated to prevent maternal and child deaths, about 80% of which are preventable, and improve pregnancy outcomes. The project has two major components: a medical outreach and a health education program.
During the medical outreach, we conducted free medical tests for pregnant women, including weight checks and blood pressure tests. Free medical consultations were also provided by medical doctors. In appropriate cases, the doctors offered medical counsel and wrote prescriptions. A pharmacy section was available to dispense the prescribed drugs for free.
The health education program aimed to raise awareness about hypertension, the importance of antenatal care, good hygiene, the risks of patronizing traditional birth attendants, and the need to use primary health care centers instead. Other topics included the importance of vaccination for neonates, exclusive breastfeeding, transitioning from breast milk to alternative foods, and other health practices to improve pregnancy outcomes.