More than 2 million women, children die annually, says pharmacist

Mrs Nneamaka Nwoha, National Primary Healthcare System Development (PHCSD) says about 33,000 mothers die each year due to avoidable diseases.

Nwoha, a pharmacist, disclosed this in Port Harcourt on Thursday at a health workshop on healthcare financing.

She said three quarters of such deaths could have been prevented with existing health interventions.

Nwoha noted that 70 per cent of the figures could have been prevented, using existing healthcare “package”.

According to her, it meant that a total of 1million women and children died in the country each year and equalled 3,000 death per day and two per minute.

Nwoha noted that the development required urgent action to change the situation.

She said the Ward Health system was to ensure that one functional primary healthcare centre existed per ward in the country.

Nwoha said national primary healthcare was revitalising Primary Health Care (PHC) centres in the country for effective universal health coverage.

She explained that one functional PHC in every ward means “Healthcare at your doorstep”.

Nwoha noted that a functional PHC in a ward did not” involve” building new facilities.

She said for healthcare system to work effectively, there must be adequate human resources facilities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organized by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with Rivers government.