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By Lukman Olabiyi
In Lagos State, parents who had more than twins at birth now have a cause to smile with the introduction of the Jumejilo Multi-Birth Assistance Programme (JMAP), an initiative of the state governor’s wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu.
The initiative was launched recently, for the purpose of giving a support package that will aid successful deliveries, provide assistance for multi-birth families and expand access to quality healthcare for low-income families.
JMAP, a non-governmental (NGO) is the brainchild of the Lagos First Lady. It 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, it will also alleviate medical complications, mortalities and disorders associated with multiple births, including premature delivery, preeclampsia and irregular foetal growth, among others.
Revealing how she came up with the idea, Dr. Sanwo-Olu 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 indicate 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.
According to her, the support for multiple-birth parents and infants will come in the 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, Dr Sanwo-Olu 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, 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. 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 substantially 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.
Also speaking, the Programme Manager, Mrs. Titi Oshodi, said the Jumejilo Multi-Birth Assistance Programme, though targeted at low-income earners, is not premised on financial assistance, but also on mental and emotional education and support throughout the gestational and birth.
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, or IVF, while the family’s annual income should not be more than N250,000.
Oshodi said the initiative targeted at new and expectant multiple-birth low-social class mothers will complement and create a safe health care system for beneficiaries, which includes support, training, and free prenatal antenatal and postnatal care to build parents emotionally, economically, and psychologically.
During the event, two families; Mr and Mrs Uwaoma Odili with quadruplet and Mr and Mrs. Tunde Ilufuoye with triplet were given N1million and N750,000 as well as baby products to support the upbringing of the children.
Ilufoye, a father of triplets, who was accompanied by his wife, children and family members to receive N750,000 cheque as a beneficiary of the Jumejilo Multi-Birth Assistance Programme, said he was overwhelmed by the huge support by the First Lady, promised to spread the good news and the government’s intervention in supporting parents with multiple births.
He said: “I am overwhelmed to be a recipient today. I met the First Lady on January 1 in the hospital and a cheque was presented to my children then. We received a lot of gifts from the First Lady then. I am overwhelmed that we are receiving another cheque and gifts on behalf of my triplets today from the First Lady.
“Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has done a lot for us and we will celebrate her more. This is the happiest moment of my life. I want to thank the First Lady for always checking on us. My triplets are a blessing to me and they are adding value to my life. I really appreciate the gifts from the First Lady.”
