Healthcare: Don advocates multidisciplinary approach to curb maternal mortality
Prof. Benjamin Bolaji of the Department of Anesthesia, University of Ilorin, has advocated for multidisciplinary approach of medical practitioners in tackling rising spate of maternal mortality in the country.
Bolaji made the call on Thursday in Ilorin on the sidelines of the 9th Scientific Conference of the Society of Obstetric Anaesthetists of Nigeria (SOAN) in association with the Nigeria Society of Anaesthetists (NSA).
The don who teaches in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the university attributed the ugly trend to haemorrhage during childbirth.
He called for the need in partnering with international organisations for provision of resources needed to practically launch the crusade against the menace.
The anaesthetist, who lamented on the lack of equipment and other facilities in public health institutions, noted that many specialists in medical profession are leaving the shores of the country in droves.
He observed that more of the professionals in the health sector would have to be recruited to help in the efforts at reducing maternal mortality.
“The leading cause of maternal mortality, specifically, is hemorrhage; pregnant women bleeding during delivery and another cause is infection.
“If we are going to tackle the issue of maternal mortality, we need multidisciplinary approach; the nurses, obstetricians, anestheticians and medical laboratory scientists will be involved.
“We need to collaborate and when we are collaborating, we even need international partners because of the resources they can give us,” he said.
Bolaji, who is also a Consultant with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), observed that there is need to involve the community and promoters that can give access to the communities, adding that education and advocacy is important.
According to him, in order to reduce maternal mortality, there should be free access to specialist based services.
He explained that maternal mortality is unevenly distributed in the country, saying that the North West has the highest death rate.
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He added that the rate is low in the South East and South West when compared to North West.
Speaking at the occasion, Mrs Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the wife of Kwara Gov. Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq, said the conference came at the appropriate time because it was in tandem with the vision of the present administration in the health sector.
She explained that the state government had made resources available for safe motherhood with the resuscitation of primary healthcare centres across the state.
“We know that the administration of AbdulRazaq has put a lot of things in place to ensure safe motherhood.
“The scope of Kwara is the whole 16 local government areas and to bring health more closer to the community. We look at things from the ward level.
“The government had keyed into basic healthcare fund. At that level, it ensures that one primary healthcare centre works per each of the wards. We have close to between 450 and 600 primary healthcare centres that are working effectively,” she said.
She explained that in basic healthcare, fund is specifically allocated to one PHC per ward, and enrollment is done in a way that people would get enrolled received free treatment.
“The treatment is for children that are under five, pregnant mothers, the indigents and others in different categories are captured in each of those facilities.
“Pregnancy is incomplete without the birth of a live-baby. When we have that kind of system and government invests in it, you will see that what government is funding is also in tandem with what they (SOAN) are saying,” she said.
