The report said pregnant women, newborn babies and nursing mothers made the demand for increased supply of life enhancing drugs at community awareness forums organised by an NGO.
The community interactive sessions were being organised by Community Awareness Development Initiative (CADI), an NGO, to sensitise the residents on the importance of immunisation, among others.
NAN however reports that the widely asked drugs are Misoprotol tablet used to stop excessive bleeding above 500ml blood after child birth, while the other is Chlorohexidine used for protection of umbilical code of newborn child prevent sepsis infection.
Addressing the gathering at Tsaki, Dabagin Ardo and Gandi in Kware, Dange/Shuni and Raba Local Government Areas on Tuesday, CADI Board of Trustee Chairman, Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, said the communities had realised the importance of the drugs.
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Umar-Jabbi, who is Sarkin Yakin Gagi and District Head of Gagi, noted that CADI was intensifying efforts at promoting community awareness on importance of all forms of immunisation, reproductive health and dangers of Vesico Virgina Fistula (VVF), among others.
He said Ward Development Committee (WDC) members and other Community Based Organisations (CBOs) across the state are being educated on ways to strengthen advocacy campaigns on health and other related issues.
“Most sensitisation are being organised in urban centres and local government headquarters which mainly attracted residents of cities marginalising rural dwellers.
“CADI organised town hall meetings at Chimmola, Tsaki, Gandi, Dabagin Ardo, Achida, Gande and Gidan Madi communities; an initiative to educate people on various health programmes aimed at uplifting people lives,” Umar-Jabbi said.
He called for increased community involvement on health policies, stressing that involving traditional and community leaders in the drugs administration will facilitate more coverage.
According to him, health workers face many challenges of acceptability, transfers, transportation and scheme ownership which are minimal when compared to using community leaders.
He said the drugs being asked were essential medicines supporting women lives, preventing maternal and infant death.
The traditional ruler noted that CADI mostly supported the communities from its accessed drugs from partners to complement government effort.
He added that the NGO partnered with Save One Million Lives Initiative and other organisations like UNFPA and dRPC on community awareness and emphasised the need for more collaboration between stakeholders to ensure more health coverage and community ownership.
Umar-Jabbi enjoined people to access health facilities available in their areas and also urged health workers to live up to the expectation of the people on healthcare delivery.
He cautioned husbands against preventing their wives from accessing ante-natal care and other immunisation on whatever grounds and advised women to patronise health centres for child birth and other medications.
According him, prolong labour remains the major cause of VVF based on experts investigations and urged Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and WDCs to intensify sensitisations.
He explained that CADI assist on implementation of Maternal and Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH), Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Family Planing (FP), Girl Child Education Encouragement Issues as well as environmental protection issues.
He said CADI also struggle on reduction of maternal and infant mortality rates which is on increased in Northern Nigeria, fight against HIV/AIDS, transmission from mother-to-child and climate change mitigation strategies.
It also facilitates training for professional health workers, leadership skills and ensures equitable distribution of workers as well as encourages new child birth registration to promote good planning
The Director of Advocacy and Mobilisation, Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Alhaji Bello Balarabe, said adequate medication arrangements and facilities were provided by government at local level.
Balarabe enjoined people to shun traditional beliefs on health issues and always consult relevant officials and health workers on all cases, stressing that all diseases have different preventions and management.
Responding, the State Secretary of WDC forum, Alhaji Shehu Umar-Gagi, assured of more commitment on supporting health programmes and appealed for more encouragement.
In their separate remarks, Alhaji Mawanki Sambo, Ubandoma Muhammadu and Muhammadu Maccido, Ajiyan Tsaki, Wakilin Sarkin Gabas and Yarin Gandi, the traditional heads, commended CADI for courage and pledged more community leaders’ commitment on health activities.
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