Joe Effiong, Uyo,
About 300 pregnant women drawn from the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State have benefitted from the third phase of free medical care, and maternity packs from Mrs Martha’ Usom Emmanuel Pregnacare Outreach.
The outreach, one of the governor’s healthcare packages was initiated to reduce infant morbidity and maternal mortality in the state,
The programme with the theme: Pregnancy, Child Birth and Beyond, is a brainchild of Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path-Initiative (FEYReP), a pet project of the Akwa Ibom State governor’s wife.
Mrs Emmanuel, while addressing guests at the event yesterday, said the outreach geared towards reducing death at child birth, has, over the years, been used to educate and assist the expectant mothers cope with the demands of pregnancy.
Though emphasising that she was not against the practice of traditional birth attendants, she expressed her concern about the procedure of delivery in those homes, stating that there have been unwarranted cases of death and transmission of deadly diseases from them.
She therefore encouraged the pregnant women to register for their antenatal on time and always seek medical attention. According to her, good dieting, family planning, and to supporting their husbands by engaging in economic activity would ameliorate their sufferings after pregnancy.