Features
Promoting Safe Pregnancies, Maternal Health In Nigeria
From time immemorial, pregnancy has been a source of joy to most couples, especially the newly wedded ones, as they set out on the journey toward parenthood. This is because in African setting, childlessness is traumatic experience a serious glitch in affected homes, as it often results in broken marriages.
Even though pregnancies are a source of joy to most married couples, they could also be a source of misery to some families if there are unexpected complications.
For instance, Hussain Abdulkadir, a resident of Banda village in Kogi State, has been married to Salamatu for five years without a child. A fervent Muslim, Hussain has interminably been making supplication to God to grant his wife the fruit of the womb and end their misery. Sometime last year, Hussain’s prayers were answered, as Salamatu, after a medical diagnosis, was found to be two months pregnant.
“I cannot describe my happiness when my wife told me that she was pregnant after five years of our marriage,’’ Hussain recalls.
“However, I never knew that my hope of becoming a happy father one day would be dashed, as my loving wife died shortly after giving birth to a baby boy,’’ he moans.
Family sources say that Salamatu died, few hours after childbirth, as a result of some complications that led to excessive bleeding that could not be controlled at the nearby maternity centre manned by an untrained birth attendant. Although Salamatu died, her baby is alive, all in a dramatic irony of joy mingled with sorrow.
Hussain’s plight mirrors many others, particularly in the rustic setting where there is an apparent lack of good heath facilities to cater to the pre-natal and post-natal needs of prospective mothers.
As Hussain still continues to ponder over the tragic loss of his wife, health experts say that thousands of pregnant women in Nigeria die daily during or after childbirths.
Medical experts say that maternal mortality rates are still high in the country in spite of several government intervention programmes.
Dr Kamaldeen Ali, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, blames the high incidence of maternal mortality on bacterial infections, obstetrical hemorrhage, ectopic pregnancies, unsafe abortions, uterine ruptures and gestational hypertension, among others.
He says that Nigeria accounts for 10 per cent of the 600,000 pregnancy-related deaths annually recorded across the world and stresses the urgent need for all stakeholders to redouble efforts to arrest the problem.
Mrs Amina Abdulkarim, a nurse, shares similar sentiments and argues that many of the maternal deaths could have been avoided if adequate public enlightenment campaigns on pre-natal health care are carried out.
“Pregnant women should be effectively enlightened about the precautionary measures which they should take during pregnancies, while their access to adequate health facilities should also be guaranteed,’’ she says.
Abdulkarim bemoans the harrowing experiences of most pregnant women in rural areas, saying that the hapless women often have to travel to faraway places in search of health care.
She says that the federal, state and local governments should make tangible efforts to provide good health facilities, particularly in the rural areas, to stem the alarming rate of maternal mortality in the country.
Dr Mohammed Abdulkadir, a Lokoja-based medical practitioner, identifies delay in treating complicated pregnancy cases, harmful traditional practices, inadequate antenatal care and poverty as some of the factors responsible for the high incidence of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
“Apart from the medical factors behind maternal deaths, poverty is another major factor responsible for the deaths. Some people do not have the wherewithal to pay for ante-natal and post-natal medical care,’’ he says.
Abdulkadir, nonetheless, suggests the need to fine-tune the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to cater to the medical needs of indigent couples, particularly pregnant women.
The growing menace of maternal mortality has been a source of concern to government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other stakeholders and observers say that efforts are being made to address the issue frontally.
One of the NGOs, the White Ribbon Alliance, at a recent meeting in Abuja, noted that although Nigeria had been able to record a decline in maternal deaths, a lot still had to be done to ensure safe pregnancies and childbirths.
Mr Jeremie Zoungrana, the National Coordinator of the White Ribbon Alliance, urges the government to evolve purposeful policies and strategies to safeguard the lives of pregnant women and newborns.
Zoungrana, who harps on the importance of reproductive health policies and programmes, estimates that in every minute, 380 women around the world become pregnant, adding that at least, 190 of the pregnancies are not premeditated.
He notes that while 110 women experience pregnancy-related complications worldwide every minute, many of the women die during pregnancies or at childbirths.
Zoungrana emphasises that government must necessarily stage public enlightenment campaigns to educate the citizens on safe pregnancy and childbirth procedures to stem the menace of maternal mortality.
Dr Muhammed Pate, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), says that the agency is striving to tackle the causes of maternal mortality in the country, adding that the efforts have been somewhat successful.
He says that NPHCDA is making efforts to ensure that every health care facility in the country has at least one midwife, adding that the government has so far recruited 2,819 midwives to implement the policy.
He says that the midwives are to provide emergency obstetric and neonatal care services to pregnant women, among other functions.
Pate notes that midwives are trained in life-saving skills, management of child diseases and other ailments, stressing that they will be useful in managing many of the health problems, including those relating to maternal care.
He discloses that the midwives have been deployed to 652 primary health centres that are linked to 163 government hospitals across the country.
Analysts commend the government for these efforts but stress the need to initiate more programmes to reduce maternal mortality in the country in a pragmatic way.
However, efforts to promote safe pregnancies and childbirths in the country received a boost recently when officials of the Nigerian office of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), led a delegation from the U.S. on a visit to Lafia, Nasarawa State.
The leader of the team, Mr Remutha Francis, said that the tour was undertaken to enable the organisation to assess the activities of its partners in efforts to improve the women’s quality of life through increased access to reproductive health services.
Besides, the need to promote maternal health has also been the focus of ECOWAS, as the sub-regional organisation has repeatedly called on member countries to adopt a holistic approach to family planning so as to reduce the menace of unwanted pregnancies.
For instance, ECOWAS, at its 11th Ordinary Assembly in Sierra Leone, harped on the need for member states to put in place good primary health care systems, equipped with adequate human resources and facilities, and aimed at expanding the people’s access to quality health care delivery.
The sub-regional body also called for more information on the current state of the proposed African Fund for Maternal Health, aimed at making interventions in reproductive health care delivery in member states.
Beyond that, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has expressed its determination to partner with Ipas Nigeria, a health-related NGO, in the crusade to stem maternal mortality in the country.
The NMA’s President, Dr Omede Idris, who disclosed this during a recent visit to the Abuja office of Ipas, stressed the need for a policy that would create an enabling environment for the reform of the legal framework guiding reproductive health care delivery in the country.
Women politicians in the country have also been calling for the reduction of maternal mortality rates in the country. The women politicians participated in a recent workshop in Abuja that was organised to look into ways of curbing maternal mortality in Nigeria.
The workshop was organised by Advocacy Nigeria for Reduction of Maternal Mortality, Women Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and other agencies involved in reproductive health care.
The workshop participants pledged to work for a reduction in maternal deaths in the Nigeria, while striving to make maternal mortality reduction a major focus of political campaigns and government programmes
The workshop urged politicians to make conscious efforts to integrate maternal mortality reduction strategies in the manifestoes of their political parties and in their campaign agenda.
Analysts stress the need for the government to exhibit a strong political will in tackling issues relating to reproductive health care and maternal mortality, while soliciting the active support of all stakeholders in that regard.
Through such concerted efforts, they add, maternal mortality rates in the country will consequently be on the decline.
Ahmed writes for the News Agency of Nigeria
Dada Ahmed
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku
