WRA Calls for Employment of Additional Midwives in Bauchi.

A Non-Governmental Organization, White Ribbon Alliance (WRA) Nigeria, has identified acute shortage of midwives as a great challenge that needs the attention of government at all levels with a view to improve reproductive, maternal and child health.

Mrs. Asala who said the WRA Nigeria was concerned over the state of health care service delivery in the country, called on governments at all levels to employ additional qualified midwives to man the already existing health care facilities, so as to save lives of mothers and children.

She said the White Ribbon Alliance was in Bauchi to launch a campaign tagged “What Women Wants; Midwives Voices and Midwives”.

“This campaign will be conducted in six states in Nigeria, we have Bauchi, Cross River, Enugu, Kaduna Lagos and Niger state and we’re happy to be here in Bauchi to launch the campaign and to work with the state chapter of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives” – Asala explained.

The National Coordinator, WRA Nigeria, said the NGO had conducted an assessment on why women of reproductive age do not go to health facilities to access services, and found that they mostly complained of lack of quality health care and qualified health care providers.

Mrs. Asala expressed optimism that the “What Women Wants; Midwives Voices Midwives Demand campaign”, would come up with an objective that would meet the demands of midwives in the state.

On his part, the Chairman Bauchi state Chapter of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM, Ibrahim Maikudi admitted that there is shortage of qualified midwives in the state.

“We’re of course having acute shortage of midwives, especially at the Primary Health Care level, but approximately we have about three to four hundred midwives in the state” – Maikudi said.

He commended the NGO for its commitment towards improving maternal and child health and expressed optimism that the partnership would yield fruitful results.