By Rita Michael
Bauchi
Wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar, has flagged off the second phase of the distribution of delivery kits for 800 pregnant women and nutritional meals for 600 children under the age of five.
Hajia Abubakar, who officially launched the maternal and infant health intervention programme on Wednesday at the town maternity in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, said that quality healthcare intervention was key in reversing the poor health indices recorded in the state, particularly among women and children.
According to her, ignorance and financial stress have seriously compromised health system, adding that various misconceptions and fear have led to a decline of ultilization of health facilities by mothers and newborns and reduction in skilled birth attendance rate.
The governor’s wife, who is also the founder of Bauchi Sustainable Women Economic Empowerment and Peae Initiative (B-SWEEP), lamented that Africa, currently has the worst record of maternal deaths in the world, accounting for more than 250,000 deaths annually.
She pointed out that her pet project, B-SWEEP, has further widened the scope of intervention in the second phase and selected three local government areas of Ningi, Toro and Katagum, which were selected from each of the senatorial zone in the state.
Abubakar said, “Last year, during the same period, B-SWEEP under its maternal and child healthcare delivery objective, launched a similar intervention at Alkaleri council where Nabayi and Tsaffi communities were selected from each of the three senatorial zones in the state.
“600 pregnant mothers and 1,000 malnourished children from these communities benefited from the programme and a total of 300 treated mosquito nets were distributed to encourage them to attend antenatal clinics”.
The governor’s wife said that the nutritional packs were prepared under hygienic and standard specification, using millet, soya beans and groundnuts to provide nutrients for malnourished children, adding that each beneficiary will be given 3kg of fortified nutritional meal and 1kg of soya milk.
Each delivery kits contains surgical blades, sanitary pads, treated mosquito nets, multivitamin capsules, surgical gloves, bleach, baby showel, bathing soap among others.