Child Health and Maternal Prevention Surveillance CHAMPS Project in Bauchi State has trained Traditional Birth attendance on dangerous signs before and during delivery to avoid maternal and child mortality.
Speaking at a one day training, the CHAMPS Lead Community Engagement Dr Jamilu Yaya said the training aims to improve the skills of traditional birth attendance towards safe delivery in Bauchi and Ganjuwa LGAs.
Dr Jamilu Yaya explained that in rural areas most families engaged the use of traditional birth attendance hence the need for the training to equip them on how to identify danger signs during labour and established referral system to hospital.
In a presentation on the topic, understanding the indicators for maternal and new born complications Dr Suwaiba Adam Ayuba of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi, charged the traditional birth attendance to ensure quick referral of pregnant mothers who manifest with danger signs during labour.
Dr Suwaiba Adamu Ayuba mentioned some of the danger signs during labour to include bleeding, high blood pressure, pre eclampsia among others.
The consultant Gynecology warned traditional birth attendance not to delay referral of pregnant mothers who once delivered through cesarean section, first delivery mother, others are mothers who delivers more than four times, among others.
Dr Suwaiba Adam Ayuba used the medium to appeal to husbands to plan for birth of their spouses and prepare for emerging complications.
On his part, Dr Abdullahi Shehu Gumau who spoke on improving TBAs skills towards safe delivery emphasized that research has proven that maternal and child death is increasing due to lack of enough professional health care personnel and midwives.
Dr Abdullahi Gumau believed that to reduce maternal and child death in Nigeria traditional birth attendance most be trained on proper handling of pregnant women during labour.
Some of the traditional birth attendance interviewed Lami Musa, Mariya Sani and Lami Abdullahi described lack of husbands’ support during labour as the major challenges hindering pregnant mothers hospital delivery.
Child Health and Maternal Surveillance Project is being implemented in Bauchi and Ganjuwa local government areas to finds remote cause of Maternal and Child Mortality in the local government areas.
By Ishaq Haruna Hardawa
