Borno records significant decline in maternal deaths, stillbirths- Official

By Ahmed Ahmed

Borno State has recorded a 54 per cent reduction in maternal deaths and a 68 per cent decline in stillbirths in four healthcare facilities implementing the Safer Births Bundle of Care (SBBC) programme.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Baba Malam-Gana, disclosed this in Maiduguri at a leadership retreat organised by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Borno Branch, in collaboration with the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA).

Malam-Gana attributed the development to coordinated interventions designed to improve maternal and newborn healthcare and prevent avoidable deaths during pregnancy and childbirth from 2023.

He identified the participating facilities as the State Specialist Hospital, Gunge Maternity, Yerwa Clinic and Mala-Kachalla Clinic.

According to him, the state government is integrating the programme with other maternal and perinatal health initiatives, including interventions to prevent postpartum haemorrhage.

He noted that the government planned to expand the programme beyond Maiduguri to healthcare facilities across the state’s 27 local government areas to improve access to quality maternal healthcare.

The commissioner, however, expressed concern over the absence of some doctors from public hospitals despite receiving regular salaries.

Earlier, the NMA Chairman in Borno, Dr Kaka Ghazali reaffirmed the new leadership’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and urged the public to appreciate the challenges confronting medical practitioners.

Also speaking, BOSCHMA Executive Secretary, Dr Saleh Kaza, identified limited residency training opportunities, difficult examinations, slow promotions, burnout, insecurity, poor remuneration and unsafe postings as challenges affecting doctors.

Kaza called for stronger political commitment and the removal of institutional bottlenecks hindering medical training, research and career progression.