By Asma’u Ahmad
Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale said the state government has trained 250 community midwives as part of its efforts to check maternal and child mortality in the rural areas.
The commissioner, who disclosed this in Kaduna, said the trainees drawn from the 23 local government areas to ensure even spread, were trained for 18 months in core areas relating to mother and child health.
Health Reporters gathered that Dr. Kakale spoke at the opening of a five-day Action Plan Workshop aimed at mapping out strategies for the 2016-2020 Sokoto State Strategic Health Development Plan.
It was also gathered that the workshop was organised by USAID-Sponsored Research Triangular Institute/Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy and Development Project.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Umar Attahiru, he said the 18-month midwives’ training became necessary in view of the rising rate of maternal mortality especially in the rural areas.
“These community-midwives will complement the efforts of the conventional medical workers, especially, the midwives,” he said.
