By Thompson Erhomonsele

SAPELE – Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc has inaugurated the 2014 edition of its annual Safe Moterhhood Programme.
It was formally declared open at Sapele Central Hospital, coinciding with the United Nations designated, World Pneumonia Day.
The Safe Motherhood Programme is one of the company’s health-based corporate Social Investment Programmes launched in 2011 and runs in the company’s contiguous host and impact communities in Delta and Edo States.
Every year, the medical exercise impacts on the lives of pregnant women in over 60 communities where women received pre-natal care and medical counseling and over 3,500 pregnancy kit bags and insecticide treated nets to ensure their safety and that of the unborn  child.
The General Manager, External Affairs and Communications of SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company Plc, Dr. Chioma Nwachuku in her remarks said “Safety is our first core value which is why we are committed to safe delivery for expectant mothers and safety for children in order to help curb their mortality in our host communities.”
While explaining that the oil and gas operator was providing vaccinations and deworming children, she noted that pneumonia was preventable and treatable, hence SEPLAT was supporting its host communities to fight the disease by its gesture.
To ensure maximum positive impact, SEPLAT extended the programme to 11 centres located in its areas of operation.
The Safe Motherhood Programme launched in 2011 has received local and international applause with many acknowledging SEPLAT’s contribution towards reducing infant and maternal mortality in its host and impact communities.