By Ahmed Ahmed
Stakeholders in Bauchi State have called for heightened awareness on the importance of facility-based delivery for pregnant women, stressing that doing so would significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes across communities.
They made the call during a Stakeholders Feedback Meeting for Bauchi and Ganjuwa Local Government Areas (LGAs) organised by the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) of the College of Medical Sciences, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, on Saturday in Bauchi.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Lawan Shehu, Health Educator for Ganjuwa LGA, highlighted that giving birth in well-equipped health facilities with the presence of skilled birth attendants remains the safest option for mothers and their babies.
He noted that many maternal and infant deaths could be prevented through increased community awareness and timely health interventions.
Dr Lamara Gamawa underscored the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene both at home and within health facilities.
He added that such measures are vital strategies to prevent infections and reduce maternal mortality rates.
On his part, Dr Waziri Mohammed from the Department of Sociology, Sa’adu Zungur University Bauchi, explained that CHAMPS has been working closely within communities to tackle the root causes of maternal and child deaths.
He clarified that the programme does not interfere with the cultural, religious, or traditional beliefs of the people but focuses solely on preventing needless loss of lives among mothers and children.
He appealed to stakeholders and community leaders to sustain collaboration with CHAMPS in order to amplify efforts to reduce maternal mortality in Bauchi State.
Earlier, Dr Jamilu Yaya, Lead Community Engagement and Research Officer for CHAMPS in Bauchi, stated that the main objective of the feedback meeting was to confirm findings from previous research conducted in selected communities of Bauchi and Ganjuwa LGAs.
He also said the presented results from formative studies, PICK CHAMPS findings, and rapid assessment research, would be reviewed and adopted by stakeholders present.
Stakeholders at the meeting included traditional and religious leaders, health workers, Civil Society Organization, academia among others pledged continued support towards promoting safe childbirth and community engagement for better maternal health.
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