Health
THE UN Population Fund (UNFPA) says it is supporting the delivery of quality healthcare to curb infant and maternal mortality in Kaduna State.
Ms Mariana Darboe, the Programme Coordinator and Head of Office, UNFPA Decentralised Office for Northern Nigeria, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Monday.
NAN reports that the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response Report in the state shows a total of 236 maternal deaths in supported health facilities in 2019, lower than the 242 recorded in 2018.
The report further shows that the maternal mortality was 904/100,000 live births in 2019, also lower than the
970 and 1,084/1000,000 live births recorded in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
However, the 904/100,000 live birth was higher than the national average of 512/100,000 live births.
Darboe noted that maternal mortality was an indicator of the overall health of a population, women status in the society and the functioning of the health system.
She said UNFPA had been supporting the Kaduna State Government in producing the annual maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response report to identify gaps and capacity to provide quality basic healthcare in every health facility.
She explained that the goal was to show how many women were dying in referral hospitals and why.
This, according to her, will enable the state government to take action and improve the quality of healthcare delivery, which in the long run will curb the level of maternal death in health facilities.
“Recent study shows that women are still dying in referral hospitals, particularly at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna.
“The recommendation in the report helps the state government to ensure that every hospital has 24-hour blood bank, 24-hour electricity and water supply with a doctor providing 24-hour service.
“It is also ensuring the availability of basic emergency obstetric and newborn care, such as drugs, equipment, personnel, blood bank and other things critical to reducing maternal and neonatal death.”
The programme coordinator noted that UNFPA had equally supported in transforming the Kaduna State College of Midwifery, Tudun Wada, into a centre of excellence in training the needed manpower.
This, she said, was in addition to series of trainings for midwives and nurses to improve the quality of service in health facilities.
“UNFPA has upgraded the College of Midwifery Tudun Wada into a centre of excellence to enhance the capacity of anybody who goes through the college for training.
“We introduced certain modules into the curriculum and mobilised experienced retired midwives to support the training of nurses and midwives in line with best practices.
“This integrated approach will ensure that no mother or child dies in health facilities from preventable or avoidable causes,” Darboe said.(NAN)
– July 12, 2021 @ 13:03 GMT |
Tags: Maternal Mortality: UNFPA supports quality healthcare delivery in Kaduna State
