Abuja — In furtherance of the Midwives Services Scheme (MSS) embarked upon by the Federal Government, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Galaxy Backbone PLC, an ICT infrastructure development company, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the provision of internet access linking the headquarters of the NPHCDA to its six zonal offices and 160 primary health care centres in the 36 states of the federation.

Under the agreement, the Galaxy Backbone would provide ICT connectivity covering internet, data, voice and video facilities to the headquarters of NPHCDA, six zonal offices, the strategic central store, 40 selected model MSS clusters and 160 primary health care facilities linked to 40 general hospitals where the midwives service scheme is being implemented in the 36 States and FCT.

Speaking at the official signing ceremony, Executive Director of the agency, Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, said the facilities "will be used for provision of real time information and data transmission, point of care support and algorithm for safe motherhood as well as on the job training of health providers, supervision and referral".

"It is our belief that this initiative will have a positive bearing on all other levels of care. We see the current initiatives not only facilitating the reduction in maternal and child mortality in the country, but also providing the needed impetus for rapid transformation of the entire health sector", he said.

In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Galaxy Backbone PLC, Gerald Ilukwe, said the project would enhance the 7-point agenda of the President Umaru Yar'Adua administration in relation to human capital development, with primary health care as the foundation.

On the scope of the project, he disclosed that the initiative would provide coverage for 180 locations, provide training for midwives and maintain data base. The project would take off next month.