The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has said that no fewer than 110 women die daily in Nigeria as a result of pregnancy related causes.
The fund disclosed this on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 through its Programme Coordinator and Head of Office, Madam Maryama Darboe, in her goodwill message at a one-day CSO Dialogue Meeting on Maternal Health Accountability organised by Advocacy Nigeria, an International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO).
She explained that 80 per cent of women in the country have continued to depend on and believe in giving birth at home in spite of anticipated complications especially in the north.
She asked: “Why should women be allowed to die due to avoidable causes?
“Nigeria spends N1. 5 trillion in a year on health which is one of the highest in the world and more than all the other African countries, yet it is one of the worst in utilisation and accountability.
“Part of our mandate at the UNFPA is to ensure that no woman dies during child birth on account of avoidable circumstances and we will continue to advocate for safe motherhood to safeguard the lives of women and children,” she noted.
Earlier in her address, the Executive Director of Advocacy Nigeria, Hajiya Saudatu Sani, who lamented the poor concern of many state governments to maternal health, said the burden would strongly and efficiently be handled by the CSOs and the media.
She said no amount of resources would be too much and urged stakeholders to ensure open discussions among couples on family planning and to make family planning commodities more affordable and accessible in order to establish a good child spacing and safe motherhood.
She said resolutions of the meeting would be presented to the two governors of Kaduna and Zamfara states for their governments to take action.
The meeting was organised by Advocacy Nigeria with support from Mac Arthur Foundation with the theme: “A Call to Action”.
The meeting also drew CSOs, media, government representatives and women groups from the two states.
By Abubakar Ahmed
