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Maternal mortality: Medical practitioner calls for training of TBAs

Maternal mortality: Medical practitioner calls for training of TBAs
By Ummul Idris
TBAs
Abuja, Feb. 21, 2019 (NAN) Dr Mercy Luka, a medical practitioner, has called for effective training and proper monitoring of activities of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to mitigate cases of maternal and child mortality.
Luka made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
She noted that basic capacity building would assist the TBAs handle birth deliveries with minimal complications.
According to her, the TBAs need to be trained on improved hygiene, what need to be done, when to do it and how important the health of the patient is.
She said that knowledge of hygiene was very important because infections were major causes of most child and maternal mortality.
Luka said that the TBAs must also be trained to identify and make early referral of the patients if either complications or problems were ever to arise.
“When TBAs handle birth delivery, they sometime lead to complications such as the death of either the mother or the child.
“The reason is because they either don’t have the right skills or don’t know what need to be done and when to do it,’’ she said.
The medical practitioner said that women who patronised TBAs face higher risk of having complications during delivery.
She noted that most complications which likely arose from such situations usually lead to both child and mother’s death.
“Some TBAs use tools that are not properly sterilised, which in turn causes infections that may lead to problems for the mother, the child or even infertility,” she said.
According to her, expectant mothers at the grassroots prefer TBAs because the Primary Health Centres (PHC) at the communities are not functioning well and lack basic facilities.
She therefore advised pregnant women especially those in the rural areas to try and always visit approved health facilities for the benefit of the child and mother. (NAN)
UMD/KOO/MST
Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

NMA to train health workers on neonatal, maternal mortality

NMA to train health workers on neonatal, maternal mortality
By Ummul Idris
Training
Abuja, Nov. 17, 2018 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) says it will train and retain health workers to reduce the prevalence of neonatal and maternal mortality in rural areas.
The FCT Chairman of the association, Dr Ekpe Phillips, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NMA) on Saturday in Abuja.
Phillips said there was urgent need to train medical personnel in rural communities because of high neonatal and maternal mortality in such areas.
He said that the training would go a long way in improving services in health facilities.
Phillips stressed the need for health workers to be professional in their responsibilities.
“Training of healthcare personnel to help babies to breath well is part of our corporate social responsibilities.
“There is an urgent need to teach medical personnel in rural areas because of high neonatal and maternal mortality in such areas.
“The FCT chapter of the association thought it wise to invite experts to teach health personnel on how best to take care of newborn babies.
“Even though we had organised such training in the past we hope to do it again.
“We believe it will go a long way to reduce the prevalence of neonatal and maternal mortality.
“Nigeria has the highest neonatal deaths in Africa and we are second in the world after India and some of the causes of these deaths are treatable and preventable.’’
Philips listed some of the leading causes of the deaths as premature birth, fascia and infection.
He explained that premature birth was when babies were born before 37 weeks of gestation; while fascia was when a baby failed to breathe at birth, and infection or sepsis could also cause neonatal death.
He stressed that many health workers lacked the skill to treat babies born with such challenges, hence the need to train them for improved care and services.
“We the members of the association should not be sleeping while healthcare delivery continues to nosedive.
“The health and socio-demographic indices of Nigeria are sources of shame and ridicule to every patriotic citizen of Nigeria.
“Our pregnant women still deliver without the assistance of skilled birth attendants.
“Why should a woman die in the course of pregnancy and childbirth since the causes of morbidity and mortality are largely preventable and treatable?”, the NMA chairman said. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Mrs Buhari reaffirms commitment to reduce maternal, infant mortality

Mrs Buhari reaffirms commitment to reduce maternal, infant mortality
By Ahmed Ubandoma
Commitment
Abuja, Nov. 14, 2018 (NAN) The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has reaffirmed her commitment and advocacy to reduce the negative effect of maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement issued by her Director of Information, Mr Suleiman Haruna, on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement quoted Mrs Buhari, who was represented by wife of former Military Administrator of Katsina State, Mrs Grace Chamah, at a workshop for Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) in Edo.
She called on the wives of state governors to take advantage of the workshop and impact on the lives of women and children in their respective states.
“As wives of governors and chief advocates for Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH+N) in your states, you need to be equipped.
“And better informed about the contextual terrains and workable solutions to problems that have contributed to giving us the poor indices in Nigeria,’’ she said.
Mrs Buhari however charged stakeholders to make concerted effort towards reducing the high rate of mortality among women and children.
She said: “No state is free from maternal and child deaths hence the need for stakeholders to take strategic action to check the menace.’’
She reiterated the commitment of her NGO, Aisha Buhari Foundation and Future Assured Programme, to contribute towards accelerating efforts to address Maternal, New born and Child deaths through advocacy and action.
“One of these actions is the training workshop, which has now been held in all the geopolitical zones of the country.
“This advocacy training holding in Benin City is the last of the trainings held in the six geopolitical zones and I hope that the results will reverberate nationwide,” Mrs Buhari said. (NAN)
AMU/MUYI/MST
Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Maternal mortality: Nasarawa Govt adopts new health plan

Maternal mortality: Nasarawa Govt adopts new health plan
NAN-HG-1
Plan
By Awayi Kuje
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Sept. 28, 2017 (NAN) The Nasarawa State Government says it is adopting a new five-year health development plan to tackle maternal mortality and promote healthcare delivery services.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Daniel Iya, made this known in Keffi on Thursday at the opening of a five-day training workshop for the state health workers.
The workshop is tagged: “Nasarawa State Strategic Health Development Plan for 2017 to 2021”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is supported by Saving One Million Lives Initiative Program-for-Results (PforR) Project for Nigeria.
Participants are expected to be trained on the process of developing a good plan of strategic health for the next five years.
Iya urged the participants to come up with good development plan that would benefit the people of the state and Nigerians in general by addressing their health challenges.
The commissioner also enjoined health workers to adhere strictly to their professional ethics and shun corruption in order to tackle the health challenges of the people of the state.
Iya said that to get things right, the state health practitioners and other stakeholders must always be dedicated to their duties and must change their attitude towards improving the health status of the people of the state and Nigerians at large.
“Everybody is aware that Gov. Tanko Al-Makura administration is doing its best to improve on the lives and health status of the people of the state through building and equipping healthcare centres with modern facilities in the state.
“The state government is committed towards the provision of quality health care to the people; hence the need for the participants at this workshop to come up with plans at the end in order to improve on the health status of the people of the state.
“Health practitioners should also adhere strictly to the ethics of their profession and we need to work as a team to tackle health issues properly and adequately, especially at the grassroots in order to improve the lives of our people, ”he said.
He added that the state government is working hard to address the challenges facing the health sector and called on people to support government policies and programmes at all the time for the overall development of the state.
The commissioner restated the state government commitment to continue to key in to people-oriented policies that have direct bearing on the health of the people.
Dr Zainab Mohammed, the Consultant of the programme, urged the participants to apply their extra knowledge to enable them create a workable plan that would sustain the programme.
She also charged the participants to use the knowledge they would gain in order to improve on the health status of the people of the state.
Responding on behalf of other participants, Mr Sule Toma from the state Primary HealthCare Development Agency, commended the organisers and promised to use the knowledge gain during the training. (NAN)
AKW/AAB/MST
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FP will reduce maternal, child mortality – Official

FP will reduce maternal, child mortality – Official
NAN-H-7
Mortality
By Amina Ahmed
Bauchi, Sept. 27, 2017 (NAN) The Bauchi State Family Planning (FP) Coordinator, Hajiya Hajara Yahya, on Wednesday said that the use of FP contraceptives would reduce maternal and child mortality in the state.
Yahaya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi that adherence to FP would ensure that mothers become healthy before getting pregnant again.
She said that the use of family planning would prevent some complications ahead of the next pregnancy and child birth.
According to Yahya, a survey conducted in 2015 showed that family planning takes only 2.2 per cent of utilisation in the state.
She identified religion, culture and poverty as some of the hitches against FP as it contributed to the low use of contraceptives in the state.
“The percentage of utilisation of family planning commodities is 2.2 per cent according to a survey conducted in 2015.
“Family planning saves live and reduce the burden of maternal and child mortality, the mother and child will be healthy during the planning years.
“Family planning is beneficial to the mother, such that the reproductive system will be ready to another baby, for the father, it also help plan for his family adequately and sufficiently.
“The child will grow in good health by having adequate breast milk and family planning also prevent the child from common childhood diseases,” she said. (NAN)
AE/KOLE/MST
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Maternal week: Oyo designates 1,404 health facilities

Maternal week: Oyo designates 1,404 health facilities

 NAN-H-7

By Modupe Seriboh

Healthcare

Ibadan, May 23, 2017 (NAN) The Oyo State Government says it has designated 1,404 facilities for the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week between May 29 and June 2 across the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan, made this known in a statement in Ibadan on Tuesday.

Adeduntan said the maternal, newborn and child health week would be held at two health facility centres and two outreaches in each of the 351 wards throughout the state.

He said the government was hoping that about 1.5 million children would be administered with Vitamin A during the period.

Adeduntan said pregnant women, nursing mothers and children between 0 and 59 months were targeted for free medical services.

The medical services, according to him, will include Vitamin A, HIV Screening, malnutrition screening and provision of family planning commodities.

The commissioner said other benefits included birth registration, de-worming tablets for children of 12-59 months as well as provision of Malaria drugs for pregnant women.

“Pregnant women and nursing mothers are therefore reminded that this 5-day nutrition and health interventions is free.

“This is based on our consultations, we can reliably say that Ramadan does not prevent pregnant women from taking tetanus toxoid vaccines,” he said.

Adeduntan therefore said there should be no excuse for the women and children to be left out of the exercise. (NAN)

MAM/OMO/MST

Edited by Martins Odeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola