MamaYe motivates the media for improved MNH reporting

Some journalists, who are members of the Lagos State Accountability Mechanism for Maternal and Newborn Health (LASAM), have been contributing immensely to evidence-based reporting of maternal and newborn health (MNH) in Lagos State. They are good examples of those who are taking action to save the lives of pregnant women and newborns.

They cover issues on traditional birth attendants, abandoned or underused public healthcare centres, inadequate number of nurses and midwives at healthcare centres, inadequate budgeting to health and many other issues on MNH.

As the media wield significant power to influence public opinion, the reports of the LASAM’s journalists are contributing to reshaping the health system’s landscape in Lagos State, and can even have a ripple effect across Nigeria.

The Awards Ceremony

At a MamaYe-supported meeting that LASAM held to review the works of its members and plan more actions for MNH improvement, two of the journalists were identified and incentivised for their selfless and active contributions to the success of MNH reporting in Lagos State.

In the photograph below, Mr. Baruwa Basit, Assistant Director, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Lagos State, presented a new work tool (a phablet) to Apollonia Adeyemi, a health correspondent at the New Telegraph Newspaper and one of the journalists that MamaYe has supported with training in evidence-based MNH reporting. Mr. Basit chairs the Evidence subcommittee of LASAM.

Franka Osakwe, a health reporter with the Guardian Newspaper also received a new work tool for contributing actively to the activities of the Knowledge Management and Communication subcommittee of LASAM.

After expressing great excitement, both journalists promised renewed energy in writing more to improve the situation of maternal and newborn health in Lagos State.

Sola Ogundipe, Health Editor at Vanguard Media, on behalf of the entire journalist members of LASAM, congratulated the recipients of MamaYe incentives, and also thanked MamaYe for leading the cause to improve the health of mothers and newborns.