… PRESENTS CHEQUES, BABY MATERIALS TO FIRST SET OF
BENEFICIARIES.
The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu
through an NGO, Jumejilo Multi-Birth Assistance Programme (JMAP), 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.
Speaking on Tuesday at Lagos House Ikeja, while making cheque and gift
presentations to the first set of beneficiaries of the JMAP Programme, the
Governor’s wife described the initiative as a dream come true that was
conceived in 2021.
The NGO, JMAP, a brainchild of the First Lady was conceived to
complement 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 JMAP Programme will alleviate medical
complications, mortalities and disorders associated with multiple births,
including 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.”
While referencing a quote by Owen Arthur, a former Prime Minister of
Barbadian “For he who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has
everything”, the First Lady noted that the quote vividly captures the
essence of her intervention through the NGO which seeks to extend hope
to families that truly need help.
The First Lady revealed that the support for multiple-birth parents and
infants will come in form of socio-economic support, constant
enlightenment, empowerment, social inclusion and a welfare support
system.
Speaking on the modalities for the Jumejilo Multi-Birth Assistance
Programme, the wife of the Governor stated that the beneficiaries will also
enjoy postnatal care that will run for a 12-month cycle during which the
multi-birth households will undergo social empowerment, health education
and economic sustainability programmes, in addition to 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 has not been set up as a
conventional NGO giving monetary assistance to the public, explaining that
the financial support to be made available to the beneficiaries will only be
provided specifically as sustenance for multi-birth parents in line with the
objective of the Programme.
The Governor’s wife also used the event to invite like-minds, public-spirited
individuals and corporate organizations to support her vision of giving hope
to families that need help, assuring that initiative will be sustained as a
platform to make a positive difference in our society.
In her remark, the Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat
revealed that the life impacting initiative has brought to light the motherly
instinct of the First Lady, Dr. Mrs. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu 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
worldwide are associated with a substantial higher risk of maternal and
perinatal mortality and morbidity, this initiative will further strengthen the
window of opportunities and would be of immense assistance to multiple
birth parents", she emphasized.
While congratulating all awardees, beneficiaries and stakeholders of the
noble programme, the Deputy Governor’s wife, Mrs.Oluremi Hamzat
enjoined members of the press to give this launch the widest publicity
expected.
One of the excited recipients, Mr. Tunde Ilufoye, a father of triplets said he
was overwhelmed with the huge support received from the NGO powered
by the First Lady and promised to spread the good news and the
government’s intervention in supporting parents with multiple births.
As part of the launch and award presentation segment of the programme,
two multiple birth mothers – one with quadruplets and another with triplets
– went home with JMAP Babies Awards which among other gift items,
including cash and assorted baby items.
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.
