Nigerian state hails drop in maternal and child mortality rates

Officials in the Nigerian state of Lagos have welcomed a decline in the number of maternal and child fatalities.

According to state commissioner Dr Jide Idris, there were 20,638 safe deliveries in the area between January and October 2013, the Vanguard reports.

Normal deliveries accounted for more than 11,000 of these births, while many caesarean sections went smoothly as well.

Speaking to Good Health Weekly, Dr Idris said this was achieved because of "proper planning", with measures such as the Maternal and Child Health programme delivering strong results.

He confirmed the Lagos state government intends to continue running this initiative in its current form.

"We do not need to change our strategies because right now we have seen a downward trend in maternal and child mortality rates," Dr Idris commented.

He added that he is confident this improvement will help Nigeria achieve its Millennium Development Goals on child and maternal mortality.