AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja
As the federal government, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and relevant stakeholders are in partnership to address the alarming rate of infant mortality and zero doses in the country, the Cross River State government has identified activities of the traditional birth attendants as a major issue to attend to, in efforts to have all expectant mothers deliver their babies safely and in standard facilities in the state.
Though the challenges of inadequate facilities for effective and efficient healthcare delivery are yet to be overcome in the state, the disturbing cases of infant mortality and zero doses in the state were attributed to lack of ante natal care and the patronage of unskilled birth attendants.
The government said there was a need to engage the traditional birth attendants in order to tackle the menace of incessant child deaths and zero dose issues in the state.
Director General of Cross River State Primary Health Development Agency, Dr. Vivian Otu confirmed the development in her address at the two-day Media Dialogue on sick new born and zero doses organised by the United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation’s Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) in Calabar, Cross River State.
She disclosed that part of the strategies to encourage expectant mothers to patronise standard facilities in the state was the initiative of motivation and giving them incentives continuously.
According to her: “We appreciate the fact that the traditional birth attendants are patronised by a lot of women in the state, which is as a result of the culture and tradition of the people. But we have since developed a strategy to engage them in a series of meetings aimed at educating them on the need for the safety of new born babies.
“We have a collaborative engagement with them such that in situations where they are overwhelmed, they can make referrals to the primary health care centers or the general hospitals as the cases may demand.
“We also give incentives to expectant mothers to patronise standard facilities for their babies’ delivery because at the end of the day, it is the well-being of mothers and babies that matter.”
On the healthcare facilities in the state, the trip to the 45-year-old sprawling University of Calabar Teaching Hospital complex revealed the fact that the complex is in dire need of a face-lift, considering the importance of the edifice to the lives of the people.
However, the state of the hospital did not affect the activity at the sick baby unit as staff were seen busy in their work schedule. They were enthusiastic and dutiful, just as there was electricity as well as running water – the key ingredients needed to make the health care facility worth its status.
Speaking, the Deputy Director in charge of the unit, Mrs. Esther Esenwenren Onoh said: “Babies are getting treated and discharged. In the last two months, between eight and ten babies were brought in here.
“Months before, the unit was like a baby market with many babies brought in from around the state needing life-saving interventions. Not anymore, thanks to improved services motivated by the government’s partnership with UNICEF which aimed at reduction in infant mortality”.
Onoh further said there were still challenges that needed to be addressed. According to her, finance is a major challenge that needs to be handled for effective management of the hospital.
She said “Getting all the required materials to get this unit functioning perfectly, especially on the side of the parents procuring antibiotic drugs, sometimes poses a great challenge. There is also a need for more incubators to augment the ones available at the moment, in addition to non-stationed oxygen cylinders, while it won’t be a bad idea to have more nurses employed.”
No doubt, the intervention of UNICEF in the state has improved the quality of healthcare services in the state. Right inside the Mary Slessor General Hospital in Calabar, is an Oxygen Gas Plant donated by UNICEF to provide oxygen for the needy new-born. The solar-powered plant produces 300 liters of oxygen per minute under the supervision of experts.
Dr. Kenneth Takim, Medical Superintendent/Manager at the hospital, said the facility, the biggest in the state, has helped to reduce child mortality in quantum, especially within the last four years.
Also, the officer in Charge of the facility at the School Health Services Clinic in Ekpo Abasi, Calabar South, one of the Primary Healthcare Centers in the state, Mrs. Bassey Oyama listed huge challenges of the hospital including inadequate staff, inadequate training for the staff on the ground, and others.
However, the Ekpo Abasi clinic case was different from that of the Primary Healthcare Center at Ikot Offiong Ambai in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state as the later is more expansive and on good ground.
With the staff strength at 15, it however gets overstretched especially on Thursdays that the facility receives between 30 and 40 babies who are in need of treatment. Except the cooling freezer for vaccines that is solar-powered, the entire facility is not serviced with regular electricity supply, making service provision cumbersome and difficult.
Earlier in her remarks, the communication officer of UNICEF, Safiya Akau said the choice of Cross River for the workshop was appropriate, noting that the state was noted for high rate of newborn babies with zero dose.
The communication officer said the field trip to the hospitals and health centres in the state was to equip Journalists and other participants at the workshop with first hand information on the situation of zero dose and the state of health facilities in the state.
The media dialogue also featured the presentation of key papers by Aderonke Akinola Akinole, social and behavior change strategy, UNICEF, Dr Olusoji Akinleye, and Safiya Akau, communication officer, UNICEF among others.
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