The Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency has organized a 10-day Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care (BEmONC) training for 74 health workers selected from all 25 local government areas of the state. The training took place in Suleja.
Training aims to reduce maternal deaths
Addressing participants, the Executive Director of the agency, Dr. Junaidu Inuwa, said the training is designed to equip health workers with essential skills to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity related to pregnancy and children under five, especially newborns. He emphasized that the agency is working to ensure every primary healthcare facility has the necessary skills to deliver effective emergency obstetrics care.
Dr. Inuwa noted that participants were carefully chosen and are expected to learn and then train others at their facilities to improve service delivery. He stated, "For every 100,000 women who come for delivery, about 512 die. A woman should not die from pregnancy. Pregnancy is a thing of joy and not sorrow."
Participants urged to apply knowledge
The Executive Director described the training as a valuable opportunity and urged participants to pay close attention so they can apply what they learn when they return to their workplaces.
Speaking to journalists, the Director of Community and Family Health Services, Dr. Hauwa Nna Tako Kolo, explained that the health workers would be trained in either BEmONC or Expanded Life Saving Skills. She disclosed that the training was organized for health workers recently employed under the GAVI Memorandum of Understanding, to enable them to conduct deliveries professionally.
One participant, speaking on behalf of others, thanked the agency for the opportunity and promised to work diligently to improve healthcare services at the community level.
