By Ijeoma UKAZU
The improvement in health accessibility especially maternal and child care should be a priority for any government.
Upscaling of care would further yield a reduction in the morbidity and mortality of mothers and newborns, thus bringing to the foreground the importance of the quality of care received.
Aside from an upscale of health care, it is recommended for pregnant women to seek care from skilled birth attendants and ensure not to miss antenatal care visits.
Sadly, reports from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, MICS6 data recently released and conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF shows clearly the percentage of women in southwest states that only had at least one antenatal visit. “With a regional average of 69.6 in percentage, the survey shows; Lagos has 91 percent, Osun has 89, Oyo 87, Ekiti 84, Ogun 74 and Ondo 66 percent.”
The survey further shows indices of pregnant women with at least four antenatal care visits by any provider with a regional average put at 60.4 percent. Lagos has 94 percent, Osun 91, Oyo 76, Ondo 69, Ogun 68, and Ekiti came below the average with 48 percent.
Health experts have attributed these indices to low health-seeking behavior to the rise in neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality rates in the southwestern states.
The MICS6 report for this region covered three indicators of child mortality, namely; neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality.
For neonatal mortality -that is children who died within 28 days of birth. The report records 34 deaths per 1000 birth as the regional average with Ogun state having a record of 56, Ekiti with 53, Oyo at 31, Ondo at 18, Osun 12, and Lagos at 11.
While infant mortality -these are children who could not survive beyond their first birthday. The MICS6 report puts the southwest regional average at 63 deaths per 1000 births with Ogun state leading the list with 68 deaths, followed by Ekiti put at 67, Oyo at 40, Ondo 31, Osun 17, and Lagos having the least with 15.
More worrisome is the southwest average for under-five mortality put at 102 deaths per 1000 birth. Again, Ogun state tops the list with 85, Ekiti 82, Ondo 64, Oyo 57, Osun 24, and Lagos 15.
Experts said to improve maternal and child indices in the region, governments should invest more in specific indices to have a better health outcome.
The Task Ahead
With some commendations for the southwest government on efforts being put in place in healthcare investment, there is a need for the region do to more.
While speaking to The Abuja Inquirer at a two-day media dialogue held in Ibadan for southwest journalists, UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr. Ijeoma Agbo said that the government should see the MICS6 as a scorecard for better planning to improve the health outcome of its people.
Dr. Agbo adds that with dwindling funds in the health sector and limited human resources, the region should carry out an analysis of areas they have performed and channel resources to areas where there is underperformance.
For instance, she said, “Some states could be needing funding for immunization while another could be newborn care.” She advised that states should be specific in their plans for better outcomes.
Dr. Agbo adds that there is a dearth of skilled health personnel in the region, calling on the government to recruit more health personnel and hire some ad hoc staff from the school of midwifery.
Giving an instance, she states, “Oyo state government have been looking to recruiting more staff to provide the needed care for mothers and their children. We are hopeful that this process would be hastened in the state. As currently, Nigeria is having a huge human resource drain out of the country.”
Continuing, she said, the government should carry out more awareness campaigns to sensitize mothers on the importance of seeking skilled birth attendants as well as dispelling the myths and misconceptions surrounding pregnancy care and child delivery.
UNICEF Health Specialist pointed out, “We still have a lot of religious beliefs, myths, and misconceptions concerning delivering in health facilities. It is only when a woman has a low-risk pregnancy that a trained traditional birth attendant, TBA, is recommended but there should be a synergy between the primary healthcare facilities and the TBAs. In this regard, I commend the Lagos state government for creating the needed synergy between PHCs and TBAs. Lagos state is active in monitoring the activities of traditional birth attendants and also ensuring they are registered.
“Lagos state government is doing great but the death of a mother or child is unacceptable. We also have some deaths that go unreported in the system.”
She also adds that it is important for the southwest state government to increase demand and access to healthcare for all.
Commenting, UNICEF Social Policy Manager, Muhammad Okorie reiterated, “Since the government led the MICS report, it should also lead coordinated action and response that will address the gaps noticed in the survey. The report captures the different indicators across health, education, water, sanitation, hygiene, child protection, and immunization amongst others.”
Okorie said, “Individual states need to identify what their challenges are as a state and find ways to improve their indicators, draft policies that would change the narrative, and as well allocate budgetary provisions needed for the change to happen.
“So that at the end, we would begin to see improvements across all indicators as such that when another MICS is conducted, a great improvement would emerge.
“And that should be based on the advocacy we were able to carry out and based on the interactions we were able to have with the people, they would be able to policymakers and interests holders accountable for the roles and responsibilities they have as key duty bearers of the various states.”
The UNICEF Social Policy Manager urge state governments in the region to owe a primary duty to the security and welfare of the citizens and make sure children and women has their right fulfilled and are not seen as a privilege.
We expect the government to put the right policy on the ground to drive home the needed change in maternal and child health care.