The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed the Reproductive Health and Safe Maternity Services Bill at its plenary session in Lafia.
The bill seeks to regulate reproductive health and safe maternity service in the state. Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, while announcing passage of the bill, said that it would enable women to have access to quality reproductive health and maternity service.
Balarabe-Abdullahi commended the sponsor of the bill, Mohammed Okpede (APC-Doma North Constituency), who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Health, for a good job.
He said that the bill would go a long way to protect and promote the rights of women in the state, especially in the improvement of their health status toward ensuring safe delivery and survival of children.
The speaker, however, directed the Clerk of the House to produce a clean copy of the bill to the governor for his assent.
Okpede, who sponsor the bill, told newsmen that he was motivated by the need for improved health status of the people and to curb the rate of infant and maternal death.
He said that the bill has provided a framework for standards, regulation and advancement of reproductive health and maternity services in the state.
“The bill will promote women’s health and safe motherhood; also it will ensure access to quality and comprehensive provision on family planning service.
“This will help to achieve substantial reduction in maternal morbidity and mortality; also it set out rights and duties of reproductive health and maternity services providers, health establishments and users,” Okpede added.
