As improved maternal, child healthcare gets traction in Kaduna
Maternal mortality is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nation (UN) that focuses and takes proactive actions in driving downward the rate of women who die in the cause of childbirth. SEYI JOHN SALAU writes on the collaboration between MTN Foundation and the Kaduna State government in addressing this age-long pandemic in the state.
Nigeria’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has remained alarmingly high for several years despite promises and assurances from several governments to improve primary healthcare and bridge healthcare delivery in most parts of the country.
Maternal Mortality ratio (MM Ratio) is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes). The MM Ratio includes deaths during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, for a specified year.
In 2015, MM Ratio for Nigeria was 814 deaths per 100,000 live births. The ratio has been on a downward trend for couples of years now as it fell gradually from 1,250 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1996 to 814 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015. This figure can be improved upon if the government stay true to its word of achieving a below 100 ratio by the year 2030 and 300 maternal mortality rate in 2018.
The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, in a recent comment said the ministry is working on efforts to reverse the trend in line with the global United Nations development goals by putting together seasoned experts as members of the Task Force to achieve the Social Development Goal (SDGs) Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) target of 70 per 1000 live birth in 2030. And bring down maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria from its current ratio of 576 per 1000 live births.
It is worthy of note that this figure is an estimate as not every death is documented in Nigeria. Sadly, this is not even the minimum but an average, because in places like the North for example, we have it as high as over a thousand mortalities per 100, 000 live births.
A lot has been going on to reduce the MMR, but we still find out that a large percentage of our women still don’t go to proper hospitals for deliveries. They either register late or go to places where they don’t get proper care, and at the end they die in these places. Some of these deaths are not even recorded. Often times, pregnant women go to the hospitals too late when there are already complications and as a result of this, lives are lost.
The major causes of death in women of child-bearing age that pushes up the maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria include sepsis, obstetric hemorrhage/bleeding unsafe abortion, obstructed labour and pre-eclampsia.
Over the years, studies have shown that unplanned pregnancies in women of reproductive age (which is where family planning comes in) is also one of the major reasons of high MMR; because a woman that gets pregnant often does not have enough time to recuperate and she’s not yet back to her normal physiological state, hence, there is higher risk of having complications in such pregnancy and that is why family planning is very key in addressing MMR.
However, in line with addressing the high rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria, it is apt to recognise and appreciate actions being put in place by MTN Foundation (MTNF) and some state governments, especially that of Kaduna State in tackling the high prevalence of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Halima resides in Brinin Yero Community of Igabi Local Government Area in Kaduna, in the weeks before her delivery; she had been told by doctors that she needed a Caesarean section (CS) that would cost 60,000 naira. Unable to afford this fee, Halima sought the assistance of Umar, the owner of a makeshift clinic, who charges no more than 10,000 naira to deliver a child.
However, Umar’s clinic is in a small hut close to his home and therefore lacks the appropriate and standard equipment to take delivery. The facility has no mattresses or any equipment besides a pair of gloves and needles. There is no ventilation, and the hut is so small that two pregnant women can barely squeeze in at once.
After a successful delivery, Umar said “it is not the best of practice to deliver at home, but we realize that this arrangement helps to support the less privileged in the society to enjoy safe delivery, sometimes when we have serious complications we may be forced to refer the patients to a clinic, where there are standard and advanced equipment” he added.
Halima, mentioned above was among the hundreds of pregnant women who gathered at the Ariwa House in Kaduna State, recently when the MTN Foundation partnered the Kaduna State Government to launch its MTN Foundation yellow heart initiative in the state.
Kaduna is part of six other states selected for the MTNF Yellow Heart initiative, after its launch in Abuja; the other states are Ogun, Oyo, Abia, Niger and Cross-River.
Speaking on the collaboration with the Kaduna State Government on this initiative, Danladi Mohammed, Director, MTN Foundation, said the foundation is out to brighten the lives of people, especially those within the community where it operates.
According to Mohammed, “We take out time to identify with the plights of members of the community where we carry out our operations and we are sensitive to these plights. It is because of this that the foundation created a mandate to spend towards improving the state of healthcare, education and economic empowerment.”
“Kaduna state is part of the six states selected for the MTNF Yellow Heart initiative, it is a laudable initiative and we are looking forward to a healthy collaboration with the Government and the good people of Kaduna state, we hope to use the Yellow Heart initiative to address predominant issues such as attitude and cultural practice that hinder women and children from accessing healthcare services in the society,” said Mohammed.
While appreciating the foundation for the Yellow Heart initiative, Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Paul Dogo said that the state is very happy to partner with the foundation on the initiative, in providing affordable healthcare delivery for the women of Kaduna State.
The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, in the Ministry of Health, Shehu Usman said that the initiative is aligned with what the Kaduna State Government is doing to improve healthcare in the state.
“For the first time in the history of the state, we have a Government that is equipping and renovating 255 healthcare facilities across the state, when the government came on board the first bill that was passed was the bill to have primary health care under one roof that is through an integrated approach.
“Since then the state Government has created specialized hospitals to cater to the varying healthcare needs of the people. These are some of the initiatives of the state Government towards improving healthcare in the state and we are happy about the yellow heart initiative which we promise to give our best support” He said.
The Yellow heart launch in Kaduna featured a workshop where experts encouraged mothers and expectant mothers to exclusively breastfeed their newborns and ensures adequate routine immunization for them to protect them from preventable childhood diseases.
Aminat, a mother of two in Kaduna, in a testimonial said she would have lost her second baby during delivery, “I was in labor for two days, on the third day I was told that I had no choice than to opt for CS, even though I thank God for safe delivery; I know that so many other persons in my situation may have lost their babies in the process.” I’m grateful to MTN Foundation for an intervention like this, today I have learned a lot about family planning options and why giving birth at the hospital doesn’t make you a weak woman as opposed to the widely held belief in this part of the country,” Aminat stated.
Ladi Barnabas, wife of the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, while commenting on what the partnership means for the state, said the initiative would immensely help to improve the health and survival rate of women and children in Kaduna State and urged women to come out en-masse for the health awareness walk.
Maternal health is an integral part of the health of any nation and demands serious concern and thorough attention. This is because maternal health is one of the major worldwide health challenges, bringing untold pain and sorrow to a large number of women and their families. Sadly, poverty, cultural practices and a shortage of primary healthcare services are forcing women in Nigeria to seek the help of untrained traditional birth attendants, despite the serious risks involved.