950,000 women at risk of maternal deaths in Zamfara

The Commissioner for Health in Zamfara, Dr Aisha Anka, says no fewer than 950,000 women in the state are at high risk of maternal deaths in the state.

Anka said this in Gusau on Monday at the opening ceremony of a five-day workshop on preventable maternal deaths, for health workers in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is being organised by a non-governmental organization (NGO), Health for Life and Development Foundation in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health and Hospital Services Management Board.

The training is being supported by the United Nations Population Fund.

The Commissioner, who was represented by the Executive Secretary, State Hospital Services Management Board, Mustafa Marafa, described the training as very key.

According to the Commissioner, statistics credit Nigeria as having recorded 14% of the total maternal deaths globally.

She noted that Northern Nigeria including Zamfara had a record of 70% of maternal deaths in Nigeria.

Anka explained that the 50 nurses and midwives attending the training were selected from different health facilities across the state.

“The workshop signifies the government’s commitment to improving maternal health in the state.

“This training is aimed at ensuring the safe delivery of babies across all health facilities in the state.

“The participants were carefully selected, they are nurses and midwives in charge of labour rooms in the health facilities across the state”, she said.

“As we are all aware,  Gov. Dauda Lawal declared a state of emergency in the health sector and the state government embarked on a total renovation of health facilities across the state.

“This training is part of the government’s commitment to promoting capacity, manpower and skills of our health workers across the state”, she explained.

Earlier, the Executive Director of Health for Life and Development Foundation, Dr Abubakar Danladi said the training was organised based on the realization of an increase in maternal mortality in the state.

“This training is to ensure that our health workers are well equipped to handle health cases related to maternal deaths.

“This is for capacity building of our nurses and midwives on management of direct and indirect causes of preventable maternal deaths.

“Part of the mandate of this training is for participants to cascade the skills they will acquire to their respective health facilities,” he explained.