Maternal Mortality Rises In Rivers, Says Expert

Indications that maternal mortality rate in Rivers State may have risen emerged yesterday with about 889 of every 1000 children are said to die during child birth in the state.

This figure, according to a chief Medical officer in the state ministry of Health, Dr Rowland Obed-Whyte is slightly above the national average put at 800 per 1000 children.

Speaking at a breakfast advocacy meeting with religious and faith based organization leaders on maternal health organized by the state Ministry of Women Affairs, yesterday, Dr Obed-Whyte said about 90 children out of 1000 die in the state before their fifth birthday.

He blamed the situation on the attitude of women who still patronise traditional birth attendants and healing homes for child delivery, pointing out that 67 per cent of women in the state get delivered outside hospital with only a handful of 33 per cent using medcial facilities.

Dr Obed-Whyte lamented that infection rate in traditional birth homes is high as 72 per cent, which most times completes delivery and leading to the death of so many women.

He noted that malaria and anaemia constitutes a small percentage of the cause of maternal deaths as only about 11 per cent of deaths are recorded.

Proffering solutions to the menace, the medical expert said the present administration has commenced massive construction of health facilities across the state.

With about 50 per cent of these medical centres ready, he observed that the women need to take urgent steps to reverse the trend, insisting that some cultural practices need to be phased out or abandoned.

For instance, he pointed out that women should avoid early marriage, which, most times, lead to birth complications  and should stop patronizing traditional birth attendants.

Earlier on , Commissioner for Women Affairs explained that one of the vision of the Ministry is to collaborate with all facets of government and society to reduce maternal mortality and achieve statewide access to reproductive health.

Hence, she said, the Ministry is carrying out awareness campaigns on infrastructure and facilities provided by the Rivers State Ministry of Health to create positive impact in maternal health care delivery.