The Kwara Government has commenced a six-day training of healthcare workers on identifying causes of maternal and neonatal deaths in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is tagged: “A Six-day Maternal, Pre-natal and Child Death Surveillance and Response (MPCDSR) Training of Trainers Workshop”.
Speaking on the sidelines of the programme, the Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam explained that the state government is working assiduously to identify causes of maternal and prenatal deaths.
El-Imam, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Taoheed Abdullahi, explained that identifying the cause will help the government provide the right policy and interventions to prevent deaths of mothers and babies.
The Commissioner explained that the workshop is designed to build the capacity of health workers across the state and ensure proper documentation, review and response to maternal, prenatal and child deaths.
According to her, this effort is geared towards preventing avoidable deaths and ensuring that no woman loses her life at childbirth, babies survive and thrive.
“Every life matters, and no woman should die from the process of bringing life to the world,” she added.
El-Imam highlighted recent interventions of the government in tackling maternal mortality, including; Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII).
She listed others to include the State Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (SEMSAS) and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEMONC) programme, among others.
She pointed out that these interventions demonstrated the government’s resolve to strengthen emergency response, improve access to quality care and save lives.
Also speaking, the representative of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Zarah Umar, emphasised the importance of adequate training for healthcare workers.
Umar noted that the success of the initiative depends on the knowledge and skills of those who implement it.
She therefore urged participants to maximise the opportunity and apply the lessons in their respective facilities.
NAN reports that the workshop is expected to produce a pool of trainers, who will cascade the knowledge to healthcare workers in primary health centres and stakeholders in communities across the state.
It is also to institutionalise MPCDSR as a critical tool in the fight against maternal, prenatal and child deaths.
