Federal Gov’t Seeks Home-grown Solutions To Maternal, Infant Deaths In Sokoto

The Federal Government is searching for home grown solution to the burden of maternal and infant mortality in Sokoto State.

Special Adviser in charge of Presidential Advisory Committee on Health, Salma Ibrahim stated this during a courtesy call on Governor Ahmed Aliyu in Sokoto, on Thursday.

Mrs Ibrahim noted that Sokoto still has the highest burden of maternal and infant deaths in the country.

“Most of the newborn deaths occured in the state. Looking at the NBS survey in 2018, 44 out of 100 newborn babies die in the state compared to national average of 34.

“73 percent of pregnant do not have access or decide not to go for antenatal care for reason best known to them. And if you don’t attend ANC it means that if there is problem, you will not know.

“Women that can deliver by still birth attendants (those that are trained like nurses and midwives) in Sokoto state, you will see that, they are very low, 27 percent out of more that 50 delivery per 100. So, it is cause for concern for us,” she said.

Ibrahim noted that there was increase in family planning in the state which she said would reduce maternal deaths in the state.

She added that President Bola Tinubu is concerned about the health of women and children in the country which informed the reason for coming up with accelerated emergency plan to address the menace in the country.

“So we want to get the state’s commitment to accelerate reduction in maternal deaths with you, Your Excellency, as the chief advocate.

“We want the State to explore key drivers, to find out the root causes why women are not delivering in hospitals and come up with home-grown solutions. We are commitment to support you,” she pledged.

Governor Aliyu however, assured that the state would work with the presidential advisory committee on health to change the narrative in the state.