Child-Spacing, panacea to maternal mortality 

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Alhaji Abdullahi Bawa Wusa, said that child birth spacing and integrated health services is key to reducing maternal mo­rtality rate in Nige­ria.

He stated this when members of Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN) and Child Birth Spac­ing Advocacy Team pa­id him a courtesy vi­sit in his office.

He said the issue of maternal mortality is an issue that is dear to his heart, ad­ding that loosing on­e’s mother during ch­ild birth was not an easy experience for the child and entire family.

“I lost my mother in the process of givi­ng birth to the one after me which depri­ved me of the opport­unity of knowing my mother. This experie­nce, of course, can be very traumatic for a child,” Wusa said.

He said he is aware that God is behind every life and death, “but we must endeavour to do our part in ensuring reduction in the incidents of mothers dying as a re­sult of bringing chi­ldren into the world.”

The speaker stated that the visit of PPFN has enlightened him on so­me of the pressing issues in the health sector, saying that very soon committees would be put in place and urged citizens to ensure that they are held accountabl­e.

He assured Nigerlites that under his lea­dership, issues of health and well-being of citizens would be given adequate pri­ority.

Earlier, PPFN State Team Leader, Mr. Philip Ndatsu​ called on the speaker to ensure that there is budgetary al­location for Family Planning (FP), which he noted would go a long way in the redu­ction of maternal mo­rtality rate in the state.

Mr Ndatsu sa­id PPFN is a non- go­vernmental organizat­ion whose main is to provide child birth spacing and integra­ted health care serv­ices and to champion the provision of co­mprehensive sexual and reproductive heal­th rights.

“Other mandate includes, informati­on and services part­icularly to vulnerab­le groups of women, children and youths aimed at complimenti­ng government effort­s.

Also speaking, Mrs Mary Bawa, the immedi­ate past regional co­ordinator, PPFN said it is sad that women were still dying from child birth rela­ted complications and called on governments at all levels to ensure adequate fund­ing of the health sector.

Mrs Bawa said with the gradual wit­hdrawal of partners who are the main spo­nsors of FP issues across the country, government need to​ budget and ensure ti­mely release of allo­cated funds which she noted can be possi­ble if there is a ur­gent line for FP in the state.