By Ignatius Okorocha It was an alarming figure that was reeled out yesterday when the Senate revealed that about 52,925 women of child bearing age lose their lives yearly in Nigeria. Senate at plenary yesterday also raised the alarm over the loss of about 2,300 under-five-year old daily in the country. A breakdown of the figure indicates that 145 women of child bearing age lose their lives on a daily basis in Nigeria. Fjallraven Kanken No2 To avert further re-occurrence, the Upper House, therefore, mandated its Committees on Women Affairs, and Health to liaise with the Federal Ministries of Women Affairs, and Health on ways to curb maternal, new-born and infant mortality in the country and report back to it. The resolution was sequel to a motion titled, a�?Alarming maternal and infant mortality rate in Nigeriaa�?, sponsored by Sen Ahmed Ogembe (APC Kogi Central). The Senator who lamented that a�?Nigeria is the second largest contributor to the under-five and maternal mortality rate in the worlda�?, called for urgent end to such ugly incidence. The lawmaker who added that a�?research have shown that the essential interventions reaching women and babies on time is capable of averting most of these deaths,a�? noted that preventable or treatable infectious diseases such as malaria, pneumonia, diarrhoea, measles and HIV/AIDS account for more than 70% of the deaths. He maintained that a�?malnutrition is the underlying cause of morbidity and mortality of a large proportion of pregnant women, new-born and children under five in Nigeriaa�?. Fjallraven Mochilas Baratas He added that the deaths of new-born babies in Nigeria represent a quarter of the total number of deaths of children under-five and majority of these deaths occur within the first week of life. Ogembe was also worried that a�?a womana��s chance of dying from complications during pregnancy and delivery in Nigeria is one to 10 birthsa�?, noting, however, that a�?many of these deaths are preventable, the coverage and quality of healthcare services in Nigeria have continued to fail women and childrena�?. fjallraven kanken rucksack He recalled that less than 20 per cent of health facilities in the country offer emergency obstetric care and that only 30 per cent deliveries were attended by skilled birth attendants. The lawmaker, however, observed that the integrated maternal, new-born and child health, IMNCH strategy was established by the Federal Ministry of Health to revitalise primary healthcare in every local government and considerably extend coverage of key maternal and child health interventions, have contributed very little to reduce the maternal, new-born and infant mortality in the country. KA?nken Rucksac online In his contribution, Sen Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP Abia North) called for the reestablishment of sanitary inspectors to study foods and environment living by Nigerians with a view to reduce or curbing diseases in the country. Similarly, he advocated the implementation of the basic health fund starting from this year to provide adequate primary healthcare delivery services in every local government area with experienced attendants for patients, noting that inadequate funding remains one of the issues affecting the health sector. Also, Sen Gbenga Ashafa (APC Lagos East) called for state of emergency in the nationa��s health sector, noting that a�?Nigeria has failed to follow the laid down indices to provide quality and adequate health care services to Nigeriansa�?. Mochilas Kanken Big He listed the indices to include provision of public health education, nutrition, portable water, and spread of primary health care centres in every part of the country. According to him, a�?the lives of Nigerians being lost to terrorism cannot be compared to those lost to poor healthcare delivery services in this countrya�?. Kanken No 2 Sen Stella Oduah (PDP Anambra North), fought back tears while attempting to contribute to the motion, saying she was shocked to read that Nigeria loses about 2, 300 under-five-year olds and 145 women of child bearing age on daily basis. In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Sen Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the plenary, described maternal and infant mortality as very bad, saying; a�?God mandated us to multiply on earth but we allow the mortality situation to continue, we will not have increase in our populationa�?.
Nigeria loses 52,925 women of child bearing age annually a�� Senate
