Grace Egbo, Author at Tribune Online

Ebonyi State Social Behavior Change and Advocacy Core Group (SBC-ACG) of Breakthrough Action Nigeria BA-N has tasked Journalists to use their platforms to promote the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and other health benefits for mothers and children. According to the group, poor breastfeeding causes poor development in children. The SBC-ACG Members made the call, during their quarterly meeting held at Don Sampros Hotel Ishieke, Abakaliki, organised by BA-N with the support from USAID. The group which focuses on addressing social/gender norms as it affects priority behaviours (spousal communication and joint decision making, exclusive breastfeeding, Delivery with Skill Birth Attendant, immunization and prompt seeking care for fever), said the support of the media will help to fight mal-nutrition and other dangerous illnesses that can harm children and their mothers during and after delivery in the State. According to them, the usage of razor blade by some traditional birth attendance to conduct Caesarean sections in the communities has also increased the number of maternal and child death in the State. The group also tasked religious leaders, traditional rulers, civil society organizations and the state ministry of health to also support and monitor pregnant mothers to ensure they go for Antenatal, feed well and deliver at the health facilities. "We have discovered, during our outreach that poverty, Fear, ignorance and negligence are the core factors that have been causing the increasing rise of mother and child death in the State. We advocate that the religious leaders, traditional rulers, media, CSOs support and provide for the less privileged pregnant mother's within their areas to enable them have a safe delivery and healthy children". " We also want the religious leaders, traditional rulers to start kicking against women delivering their babies with traditional birth attendance because the TBAs cannot control emergencies or give adequate care to the mothers and children". The group, however, urged men in to allow their wives to support them financially to reduce poverty in the family. Addressing the SBC-ACG group, Malam Mukhtar Gaya, BA-N Advocacy advisor commended the group for their efforts in sensitizing and educating the residents of Ebonyi State on the importance of always visiting the hospital when they are pregnant, feeding well during pregnancy and other health benefits. He then encouraged the religious leaders to always preach the gospel in their churches and mosques. According to him, that will reduce death drastically among the women and children in the State. Also, the Acting state coordinator of BA-N, Mrs Ifeoma Chris, appreciated the volunteers for their efforts in fighting maternal and child death and malnutrition in Ebonyi State. She then urged them to continue doing the good work through sensitization awareness in everywhere they go. Earlier, Mrs Charity Odio, the Advocacy and Capacity Strengthen Officer of BA-N said the meeting was called to identify gaps and challenges and proffer solutions, get feedback from action point of the last review meeting and review the status of SBC-ACG members and strengthen linkages with other integrated SBC approach and identify gaps in the Local Government Areas monitoring the SBC-ACG activities. ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 2023: INEC Disputes Claim On Additional Voters We Are Willing To Call Off Strike ― ASUU Indiscriminate Waste Dumping: LAWMA To Shut Down Ladipo, Oyingbo Markets EDITORIAL: The Jilted Murderer In Adamawa Motorists, Travellers Stranded As Ado-Ilawe-Ekiti Road Collapses FG Orders Buyers Of Seized Drug-Linked Properties To Pay N31m Extra USAID BA-N breastfeeding Ebonyi USAID, BA-N task journalists to support promotion of exclusive breastfeeding in Ebonyi