With an estimated maternal mortality rate of 608 per 100,000 deliveries and 50 women dying each year, Nigeria is second; only to India in terms of maternal death. Women Health and Action Research Centre, WHARC has said.

The organization, whose aim is to promote the sexual, reproductive health and social well-being of women and adolescent through research, evidence-based advocacy also said the country accounts  for 50% of the global number of maternal deaths.

Chief Executive officer of the Centre, Prof Friday Okonofua disclosed this at a ‘Dissemination Workshop’ on Assessment of infection control practices in delivery care units in Edo State.

The dissemination workshop was attended by government officials from the State ministry of Health, Women Affairs, health workers from public and private health institutions and representatives of NGOs

He identified three primary causes of maternal mortality in Nigeria. They are: Bleeding after birth, pregnancy hypertension and post-delivery infections.

“Studies including data from Edo State have shown that up to 4 out of 10 Nigerian women experiencing puelperal infections die from the complication”.

Besides, maternal mortality in Edo State reflects the national average. “Maternal health is presently not prioritised by the State government”.

Prof. Okonofua said 70 percent of pregnant women attend antenatal care; 60% are delivered by doctors and nurses, while less than 10% of deliveries are conducted by traditional births attendants.

The results of the study demonstrate the lack of appropriate policies and practices relating to infection control in maternal units in Edo State, given that puerperal sepsis is the third leading cause of maternal mortality in the country.

Worried by the lack of data of maternity care and puerperal sepsis in all the health facilities visited, the centre recommended that accurate record keeping should be prioritised as an important strategy to monitor the outcome of infection control measures.