Addressing traditional leaders, Médecins Sans Frontières, known as Doctors Without Borders, stressed the importance of their involvement in combatting the persistent maternal mortality rate in Jigawa State.
During a visit to the District Head of Taura, Dr. Fatima Aliyu, the MSF Medical Team leader at Jahun Hospital, highlighted the pivotal role that traditional leaders play in promoting maternal health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that in Nigeria, the maternal mortality rate is 814 per 100,000 live births, with a concerning lifetime risk for Nigerian women as compared to developed countries.
Jigawa State’s 2021 NDHIS data revealed a maternal mortality rate of 174 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Dr. Fatima emphasized the ongoing concern of maternal mortality in Jigawa State, where many women lose their lives due to pregnancy-related complications annually.
Recognizing the significant influence traditional leaders hold in their communities, MSF emphasized the need for their support in enhancing healthcare services and raising awareness about maternal health.
To combat maternal deaths, MSF has partnered with the Jigawa State Ministry of Health to provide comprehensive emergency obstetrics and newborn care.
Dr. Fatima pointed out that traditional leaders possess unique cultural authority to encourage pregnant women to seek antenatal care and deliver in healthcare facilities, given that a large number of deliveries still occur at home.
In response to MSF’s call, the District Head of Taura, Nura Usman, pledged support for initiatives aimed at improving maternal health and vowed to collaborate closely with healthcare authorities to tackle the root causes of maternal mortality in the community and state.
Efforts are being made by traditional leaders to raise awareness about the importance of seeking antenatal care and delivering in health facilities through various community engagements.
He mentioned directing ward heads to monitor and report husbands who hinder their wives from going to the hospital for delivery.
Sharing her experience, Malam Lawaisa, a 28-year-old mother of two with vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), recounted the challenges she faced during her first childbirth and emphasized the importance of timely medical attention during delivery to prevent complications.
Another mother, 23-year-old Zilai Yau from Afitawa, Taura LG, emphasized the safety benefits of hospital deliveries over home births and highlighted the crucial role of attending antenatal care for the well-being of both mother and baby.
She expressed gratitude for the respectful treatment and care she received during her hospital delivery.