United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Intergrated Health Program (IHP) have trained over 800 health workers in Ebonyi State to monitor and ensure that pregnant women give birth in the equipped health facilities they attend for ante-natal services.
State Director of the organisation, Dr Gladys Olisaekee, stated this in Afikpo in the state during a three-day media engagement of journalists in the state.
According to USAID-IHP, it discovered that in the state, a number of women attend ante-natal services in an equipped or recognised health facilities but always patronize quacks and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to give birth to their babies which according to it causes maternal child morbidity and mortality in the state.
Dr Olisaekee then noted that USAID-IHP has also introduced active defaulter tracking of pregnant women in Ebonyi state with support from the state ministry of health.
“IHP Ebonyi is a USAID funded project with the goal of contributing to state level reduction of maternal and child morbidity and mortality as well as strengthening sustainable and provision of quality PHC services.
IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
- ‘Officials initially offered to help but when the number of able-bodied citizens at the centre increased, they left us unattended to’
- Why Ogun Tops List Of ‘Yahoo Boys’ In Nigeria ― Governor Abiodun
- Police, Amotekun after criminals on Lagos-Ibadan expressway
- Suspected cannibal pays N500,000 for boy’s human organs, says ‘that’s my favourite meal, especially the throat’
- Court awards Nnamdi Kanu N1 billion over invasion of his home by military, asks FG to apologise
“It has three objectives; to strengthen Primary Healthcare Services, to improve access to PHC services and to improve the quality of PHC services.
“We are working closely with the state ministry of Health, Ebonyi State Primary Health care Development Agency, Ebonyi State Health Insurance Agency to implement wide range of three health interventions to improve the health of pregnant women and under five children.
“We have successfully supported the state to complete training of healthcare workers, over 800 on reproductive health family planning including introduction to GBV.
“We have also introduced active defaulter tracking of pregnant women. We know that a number of pregnant women attend ante-natal services but do not return to health facilities to deliver. They go to other sides like Traditional Birth Attendants(TBAs). So, we are supporting the Primary health care where we work to institutional active tracking of pregnant that attend ante-natal health services in the primary health care routine,” she stated.
The programme was organised by the organisation in colloboration with the state ministry of health.