Why over 72% of women deliver at home – Niger Government

The Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency had disclosed that over 72 per cent of women in the state deliver their babies at home due to lack of support from their husbands and high cost of services at healthcare facilities.

While making this known on Friday during a campaign on organizational strategy development workshop organised by the White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria, a representative of the NSPHCDA, Dr. Inuwa Jinaidu, said the total number of women of childbearing age is 1,298,057.

The high cost of services at the healthcare facilities, unavailability of effective means of transportation at the over 3,500 hard to reach communities, inadequate delivery wards and unfriendly attitude of health care providers among others are also attributed as major causes.

Accordingly, Dr. Jinaidu disclosed that the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey report that about 72.3 per cent of women deliver at home is unacceptable, especially as it exposes women to preventable complications and death.

According to him: “Husbands need to support their wives to help reduce maternal mortality rate which is put at 352 deaths for every 100,000 deliveries. And the state’s total population is 5,900,257.”

Jinaidu also noted that though there is a problem of shortage of manpower in the health sector, the present administration was working tirelessly in the area of the revitalization of primary healthcare under one roof in ensuring that sustainable measures were put in place to encourage women to access quality and affordable care at health facilities instead of patronising unskilled hands.

He commended WRAN for its activities in the state such as its advocacy drive for citizen led accountability, town hall meetings and community dialogue that led to the activation of the Ward Health Development Committees in the state, building of their capacity,  developing a reporting template and WHDC frame work for the state.

He said WRAN came into the state at a time when the state really needed it, adding that they were looking forward to the development of the strategy document, which he noted would serve as a guild for improved healthcare services for citizens.

Speaking earlier, Board Chairperson, WRAN, Dr. Nana Emmanuel Chidi, charged citizens to hold government accountable and also demand for quality and affordable services.

Chidi added that WRAN remains passionate about ensuring that the rights of women and girls were uphold to ensure safe pregnancy and healthy reproductive life.