Social health initiative for parents of multiple births launched in Lagos

The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has unveiled a multi-birth assistance programme, known as Jumejilo, JMAP.

Speaking at the ceremony in Alausa Ikeja, during which the first beneficiaries of the programme were also presented, Mrs Sanwo-Olu explained that the social health initiative which would support parents with multiple births from triplets and above from pregnancy till twelve months post natal was conceived to complement already existing government programmes

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.”

According to Dr Sanwo-Olu, the programme wil run in partnership with the Ministries of Women Affairs, Youths and Social Development and that of Wealth Creation, while the benefitting parents would be empowered with skills or financial support to boost their capacity.

The programme coordinator, Titi Oshodi stated that Jumejilo, though targeted at low income earners, is not totally premised on financial assistance, but also on mental and emotional education and support throughout the gestational and infancy.

She said to qualify, the pregnant woman must be resident in Lagos, with proof of address, not more than 60 years old and must not have accessed invitro fertilization, IVF, while the family’s annual income should not be more than 250 thousand naira.

Two families, Mr and Mrs Uwaoma Odili with quadruplets and Mr and Mrs Tunde Ilufuoye with triplets were given one million naira and seven hundred and fifty thousand naira each as well as baby products to support the upbringing of the children.

The ceremony was attended by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, top government officials, the Consular General of Cameroon, international and local partners, nurses and midwives from government hospitals in Lagos and traditional birth attendants from all the council areas in the State.