By Yemi Monday
Maternal and Perinatal Deaths Surveillance and Response in Bauchi State (MPDSR) recorded a total of 872 maternal and perinatal deaths in 6 months of the year 2022.
The statistics of the death indicated 56 maternal and 816 perinatal deaths were recorded from July to December 2022 across health facilities in the State.
The revelation was made by the State Focal Person of MPDSR, Jummai Inuwa Graba, during a two-day Quarterly Review Meeting (Pause & Reflect Learning Session) organized by USAID -IHP, Bauchi at Hazibal Hotel, Bauchi on Wednesday.
According to her, 192 meetings were conducted across the health facilities within the period, 31 maternal and 330 perinatal deaths were reviewed and General hospital Toro, General hospital Ningi and General hospital Azare recorded highest maternal death with 14, 11 and 6 respectively. General Hospital Toro, General Hospital Ningi and General Hospital Misau recorded the highest perinatal deaths with 162, 111 and 106 respectively
She added that Futuk, Disina, Lanzai and Tilden Fulani Primary Health Care Centres (PHCCs) recorded the highest Perinatal deaths among PHCCs in the State. Toro, Ningi and Misau LGAs recorded the highest number of both Maternal and Perinatal deaths in the State.
According to her, most of the women that recorded Perinatal death were not attending Anti-Natal Care (ANC).
In their efforts at reducing maternal and perinatal mortality in the State, Jummai Graba said that employment of Human Resource for Health should be made a priority and there should be frequent mentoring visits in order to bring on speed to the newly posted staff.
“Developed Implementation Plan to serve as advocacy and resource mobilization tool , Increased partner collaboration and support especially for scaling up to all PHCCs, and eventually to Communities Improved Quality of Care for MNH,” she added.
Jummai Inuwa Garba recommended that Employment of Human Resource for Health should be made a priority while frequent mentoring visit should be considered in order to bring on speed to the newly posted staff.
There should also be a Developed Implementation Plan to serve as advocacy and resource mobilization tool, Increased partner collaboration and support – especially for scaling up to all PHCCs, and eventually to Communities and Improved Quality of Care for MNH.
She concluded stressing that MPDSR is a veritable tool to drive Quality of Care in maternal and perinatal health in Nigeria, and has the potential to accelerate Nigeria’s effort at reducing maternal and perinatal mortality, especially in this dispensation of ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths by 2030 and 2035 respectively.