From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
About 10 per cent of the 6,000 pregnant women that attended ante-natal clinic in Borno in 2020 delivered in hospitals and health facilities in the state, an indication that women acceptance of hospital delivery is still low in the area, said Executive Director, Borno State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), Dr Aliyu Mailafiya, on Saturday in Maiduguri at a press conference to mark the National Safe Motherhood Day.
‘We have 6,000 women seen at the ante-natal clinics for the year 2020. These were those who came to the hospital or our health facilities, but only 10 per cent (about 600 pregnant women) came for delivery,’ Dr Mailafiya disclosed.
He said the statistics shows more action was required from the state and its partners on safe motherhood and maternal health. He said this year’s theme – “Improving demand, access and utilization of maternal services in the context of COVID-19 pandemic” – is aimed at mobilising Nigerians for quality marternal service and access to it.
He explained that safe motherhood was officially launched as a programme in 1990 to reduce the number of deaths and illness resulting from complications in pregnancy and child birth.
In Borno alone, he said 95 deaths of women were recorded in the hospital following pregnancy-related complication. He said community participation was needed to achieve safe motherhood in the state.
Dr Mailafiya said most maternal deaths are preventable ‘if women access health-care solutions to prevent or manage complications.’ He said women ought to be aware of need for their care during and after pregnancy.
He said the state was collaborating with other global partners to strengthen the health system in the state, including the provision of ambulances in local communities to access primary health facilities.