1,549 women die yearly in North-East due to high maternal mortality

IT has been discovered that the NorthEast sub-region of Nigeria recorded the highest maternal mortality rate in the country as out of 100,000 live birth, 1,549 mothers die yearly compared to 165 in the South-West subregion.

The disclosure was made Thursday  by a UNICEF Health officer in the Bauchi Field Office, Oluseyi Olusunde during a two day training for Journalists on Ethical Reporting/ Media Dialogue on children survival and protection issues, organized by the Bauchi State Television Authority with support from UNICEF at the State Destination Hotel in Bauchi.

ALSO READ: 3m children need emergency education support in North-East Nigeria ―UNICEF

The training drew participants from States that are supported by UNICEF Field office that comprised of Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba and Jigawa states with resource persons drawn from UNICEF offices and consultants in media related fields.

In his presentation on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health at the training, Oluseyi Olusunde said one woman dies on account of pregnancy or childbirth related issues  in Nigeria, pointing out that out of every 100,000 live births, 576 are likely to die.

The UNICEF Health officer who stressed that it was unfair for a woman to die while giving life, said that one of the key reason for this state of affairs was the lack of care available to girls before pregnancy as well as wide prevalence of low levels of education in some northern states.

He said the 2013 National Health Demographic Survey states that under 5 child mortality rate was 128 deaths per every 1,000 live birth,adding that under 5 mortality rate in the northeast was high, recording 115.

Earlier, the UNICEF Communication Officer in charge of Bauchi Field office, Samuel Kaalu said that the objective of the training was to enhance the knowledge of participants on ethical reporting on child issues and bring them to the front burner of national events in the states supported by UNICEF Bauchi field office.