Okey Maduforo 
…As Soludo Commences Training Of Health Workers
The maternal mortality rate in Anambra State has heat about 180 per 100,000, a development that has necessitated the training of health workers in the area.
Disclosing this at the commencement of the training in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Awka, Dr Obianuju Okoye who is the state Reproductive Health Coordinator said this is the statistics for public health facilities, noting that it would be more if the private hospitals are added.
She said, the Anambra State Government in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has commenced training for health workers on modified life-saving skills to eradicate maternal and infant mortality.
She noted that the training is aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal death in the state.
Also, Dr Afam Obidike, the state’s Commissioner for Health, at the opening of the training on Tuesday in Awka, said participants were midwives, nurses and community health extension workers (CHEWs), from primary healthcare centres across the state.
Obidike said it was necessary to strengthen the capacity of the midwives, nurses and CHEWs as there were closer providers of healthcare services in the rural communities.
“Maternal and infant deaths are preventable and that is why Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s administration is doing everything possible to reduce the rates in the state.
“These midwives, nurses and CHEWs are the first link in the chain that connects the villages or communities with the health centres, and the centres with the hospitals.
“This training will increase their expertise to help women access quality healthcare and ensure the health of mothers before, during, and after pregnancy to keep them and their babies alive, safe and healthy.
“If there is a serious case that cannot be managed at the community level, they are being taught early referral to the hospital. The goal is to reduce maternal and infant mortalities in the state, ” he said.
While appreciating the facilitators and UNICEF for their support, the Commissioner urged the participants to take the training seriously.
Also speaking, Prof. Brian Adinma, an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, described the training as a refresher course on every aspect of saving the lives of pregnant women and babies.
“These modified life-saving skills are based on the competencies of the midwives, nurses and CHEWs, and they are basic antenatal care, record keeping in maternity care and childbirth care.
“Others are postnatal care for mothers and newborns, referral system and breastfeeding education,” he said.
“You can build well-equipped hospitals but if you do not have trained and competent workers in those hospitals, they become useless,” he said.
