Child Spacing Essential Pillar of Safe Motherhood- Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

DetailsCategory: News Published on Friday, 07 June 2013 06:57 Written by Regina Hits: 479 Minister of Health, Prof.C.O.Onyebuchi Chukwu has described family planning/child spacing as an essential pillar of safe motherhood. The Minister stated this in Abuja today at a Press Briefing to commemorate the National Safe Motherhood Day with the theme: Safe motherhood “A must for every pregnant woman”. The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Fatima Bamidele said that Nigeria has been making concerted and systematic efforts to make pregnancy safer since the launch of the Safe Motherhood Initiative in 1987 stressing that these efforts cumulated in the reduction of maternal mortality ratio in the country from 1000 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 545 per 100,000 live births in 2008. He said that in the last decade and in line with the global clarion call to ensure safe motherhood, the Government of Nigeria articulated effective policies, guideline and interventions, which are harmonized within the National Strategic Health Development Plan(NSHDP 2010-2015). He said that in addition to the procurement of contraceptives, the Ministry procured and distributed Emergency Obstetrics drugs namely Magnesium Sulphate and Misoprostol as well as provide technical support to states in terms of building the capacity of critical mass of health workers on Maternal and Child Health interventions. Prof. Chukwu said that at the first Global Summit on Family planning, which was held on 11th July, 2012 the Government of Nigeria increased its commitments to the family planning programme by 300% and has committed $8.35m annually for the next 4 years. He added that this additional resources would also be committed to providing essential life saving medicines for women and children in Nigeria as part of Mr. President’s commitment to the United Nations Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health. He stressed that in order to ensure skilled care as well as addressing the human resources crisis at the Primary Healthcare level; the government established the Midwives Service Scheme in 2009 adding that to date about 4000 midwives and 1000 Community Health Extension Workers have been mobilized and deployed to Primary Healthcare Facilities in the country. He said that consolidating on the gains from the Midwives Service Scheme, the Government of Nigeria through the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SURE P) would improve supply in commodities, maternal and child health drugs, equipment and refurbishment of infrastructure at service delivery points. He added that more midwives and Community Health Extension Workers would be recruited and also plans are underway to scale up the number of midwives from 1500 to 2500 by 2014.