NAN-HG-7
Healthcare
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, March 1, 2018 (NAN) The Paediatric Nurses Association of Nigeria (PNAN) has called on the Federal Government to strengthen Primary Healthcare Centres to reduce the increasing rate of neonatal and under-five mortality.
Its President, Mrs Olubunmi Ayiedun, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Ayiedun spoke on the recent UNICEF report published on Feb. 20.
The report had ranked Nigeria 11th position in newborn death globally.
It says: “Eight of the 10 most dangerous places to be born are sub-Saharan Africa where pregnant women are much less likely to receive assistance during delivery due to poverty, conflict and weak institutions.
“With the newborn mortality rate of 29 deaths per 1,000 births, the global estimates rank Nigeria as the 11th highest on newborn deaths.’’
Ayiedun said that the state of Primary Healthcare Centres in the rural communities over the years had experienced high rate of neonatal deaths due to shortage of medical facilities and human resources.
She said that with high rate of poverty in the country, more than 50 per cent of the citizenry reside in rural communities with no equipped medical facilities.
“The skilled birth attendants who have the skill and knowledge in reducing neonatal mortality in the communities are grossly inadequate.
“ The community healthcare extension workers are those found in the primary healthcare centres with no curriculum, training, or any sort of skill in managing emergencies.
“Some of the nurses do not know how to resuscitate newborn who are dying, and when complications in pregnancy occur, there are no equipment and medications available,” she said.
Aiyedun decried the state of health facilities in the rural communities with no functional equipment and facilities such as computers, libraries, medications, accommodations, among others.
She said that there was absence of a standard referral system between the primary healthcare facility and the secondary level when such needs arose.
Aiyedun called on the government to equip all primary healthcare centres with drugs and needed equipment to ensure availability and accessibility to women in the communities.
She urged expectant mothers to consume more folic acid three months before conception to prevent a number of birth defects that could lead to neonatal deaths.
The president of the association urged the government to improve on the working condition and equip all health centres to enable rural dwellers to have access to better healthcare thereby reducing infant and maternal mortality rate.
Aiyedun urged government to provide incentives such as electricity, accommodation, water, internet and training to motivate the trained professionals posted to rural communities. (NAN)
TIM/GOK
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Edited by Olagoke Olatoye