IWD: Child Delivery At Home, Threat To Mother’s, Baby’s Lives – UNICEF
Health Officer, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Mr Oluseyi Olosunde fielding questions from Journalists at the Media Dialogue in Gombe. Photo: Murtala Muhammad
By Murtala Muhammad
Home deliveries by pregnant women has been described as one of the most dangerous practices which results to high maternal and infant morality in Northern Nigeria.
Another attitude identified as part of the problems is that of some women who parade themselves as health workers assisting pregnant women to deliver at home.
These are some of the issues identified at the end of a two-day Media Dialogue in Gombe, organized by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Bauchi Field office, to commemorate 2024 International Women’s Day, with the theme “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”.
The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, MICS 2021, indicates that on Nigeria six out of ten babies are delivered at home with Bauchi state having the highest of eight out of ten, while Adamawa has the lowest with three out of ten.
Responding to the problems, the Health Officer, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Oluseyi Olosunde called for an end to the practice to safeguard the lives of women and their babies.
In a paper titled: “The Optics of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, MNCH in Bauchi Field Office,” Mr Olosunde stressed the need for the women practicing child delivery at home to desist from such attitude as it exposes them to life threatening conditions.
The UNICEF Health Officer urged journalists to expose any health worker who encourage the attitude of delivering babies at home and to enlighten women on dangers associated with the practice.
Another facilitator at the Media Dialogue and UNICEF Gender Specialist with the Bauchi Field Office, Ms Kabati Baba Tokara said empowered women play a vital role in changing negative narratives around good health practice.
Ms Baba Tokara explained women who have positive knowledge on importance of Antenatal care, hospital based delivery, postnatal care and complete immunization for children, have more chance of living long together with their babies.
