Nigeria, U.S. linked by family ties, ideas, says U.S. ambassador

…. As Bill & Melinda Gates Partner NURHI, Media On Maternal Mortality

Connection between Nigeria and the United States of America (USA) has been described as profoundly important, stressing that family ties, ideas and democracy linked both nations.

This was disclosed by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington, at an Alumni Strategic Leadership Workshop, held in Abuja, themed “Promoting Alumni Programmes and Networks in Nigeria.”

He emphasized that both countries were bridged together for the benefit of the nations, adding that the connection was important for the future. Symington said they wanted to capitalize and focus on people that make ideals and institutions work. He identified that grassroots leadership was critical in changing a society for better.

Furthermore, worried by the increasing rate of maternal mortality and minimal rate of childbirth spacing, a John Hopkins programme, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, conducted a training programme for media executives and practitioners in Kano, tagged,  “Galvanising media support on maternal mortality reduction and childbirth spacing in Kano state.”

Team Leader of the project, Kabir M. Abdullahi spoke on the need to engage the media in curbing the menace of maternal mortality rate in the county, especially in the North, where the rate was severely alarming.

Challenging men as being less literate, health wise, than women, he urged husbands to try as much as they could to make sure they help their wives to have good health before, during pregnancy and after delivery.