Nno, Welcome, Ola,

I visited Nigeria in 2006 and was bitten by a bug called High Infant Mortality Rate. I read about the issue in a local news paper in Abuja. This information was buttressed while on holidays in my father's village (Nnewi); an elderly woman informed my cousin and I of 2 infant deaths that Christmas week from childhood preventable illnesses. I was aghast. I sat down, dumfounded, then a flashback of I (as a child), at the end of civil war, women carrying their dying babies of kwashiorkor to my father's compound seeking relief; food, water, medicine anything to help their infants. In 2007 I returned to finish my graduate school in Public Health and my community health class provided a platform to research infant mortality rate. Hence, I wrote a paper on it, and proposed a three year strategic pyramid solution.

This blog is about being part of the solution:
(a) bringing the issue to bear
(b) envisioning seamless integrated strategies
(c) visualizing adapting innovative, sustainable solutions to mitigate variables that give rise to high infant deaths.

At issue is the continent of Africa. Some may say I gave money to Africa, yes you did but in reality you gave money for a project in Mali, or Sierra Leone or Liberia. That is 3 countries out of 50. From my research, high infant morality rate in SSA is attracting international, national and individual researchers seeking effective methods in implementing sustainable measures or solutions towards reversing the numbers. I am suggesting that more man power is needed to combat the problem at least in Nigeria.

http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/MDG_FS_4_EN.pdf



Tuesday, October 5, 2010

60 Minutes interview with Melinda Gates (Foundation)

I was glad to hear Melinda Gates mention "Women and Children" as the 3rd prong issue in their foundation, during last sunday's 60 minutes interview.  That was not originally the case in 2006. I remember discussing their foundation in my Public Health graduate class. And my group asked me to research the foundation as a source to fund our project. Well we did not qualify based on the projects they were funding then. I have a dream to one day realize my goal of reversing the trend of high infant mortality rate in an African country. I predict  that this couple are poised to receive the noble peace price in my generation.  Melinda Gates is putting her money where her mouth is, so to say.  I watched with delight as she talked about this issue holding an Indian child. I urge her to bring her money to Africa where the need is urgent and desperate. As Hilary Clinton said "it takes a village". Thank you Melinda Gates.
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