Stakeholders Decry Maternal Mortality, Apathy To Immunisation In Northeast

Health professionals from the six states of the Northeast have decried the rejection of immunisation for communicable diseases as well as the alarming rate of maternal and infant mortality due to neglect of antenatal and access to health facilities in the region.

At a workshop yesterday for health commissioners and other stakeholders organised by the Federal and Borno State Ministries of Health and the Northeast Governors’ Forum in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) strategic engagement with Northeast states’ stakeholders on healthcare delivery in the region, the executive chairman of Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Rilwan Mohammed lamented that out of the 20 local government areas in the state, 13 of them were on zero dose immunisation.

Mohammed said the SWAP adopted by the federal government and stakeholders to tackle health challenges in the Northeast would look at such challenges such as funding of the health sector, maternal mortality, infant mortality as well as low compliance to immunisation due to some misconceptions and traditional issues.

In his remarks, the Borno State commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof Baba Malam Gana, urged stakeholders in the Northeast states to ensure prudent implementation and comprehensive reporting of the Global-sponsored North East States Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) project.

The project, worth $40 billion for Nigeria and $2 billion for each state, aims to strengthen the health system and improve health outcomes.

Prof Gana emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and innovation in the financial support system.

“There is a need for transparency, accountably, innovativeness in the financial support system, improved primary health care services indexes such as malaria death which is now at 20 percent in the state while two million cases of HIV are prevalent and life expectancy in Nigeria stands at 54 years,” the commissioner said.

UNICEF health manager, Clement Adams, said UNICEF was working in collaboration with the federal government to ensure effective service delivery in the health sector in the Northeast.

He said to achieve this goal, UNICEF is sponsoring a programme to support the implementation of the government’s plan, adding that the sector-wide approach adopted by UNICEF was designed to improve service delivery in the health sector.

He explained that the organisation is holding quarterly meetings to review progress and address challenges in the health sector.

“One of the major challenges facing the sector is infant and maternal mortality, which is why UNICEF is working closely with the Governor’s Forum and the Federal Government to provide funding and coordination.

“The collaboration between UNICEF and the government is crucial in addressing the healthcare needs of Nigerians, particularly in areas where access to quality healthcare is limited,” Adams said.

Dr Angus Ikpe, who represented the Federal Ministry of Health, explained that the ministry has designed a strategic blueprint for 2023-2026 to rapidly improve health outcomes for Nigerians.

He said the goal is to reduce infant mortality, maternal mortality, and other health-related issues, stressing that the “One Plan” priorities are aligned with the National Health Development Plan (NHSDP) II and the Strategic Blueprint.