UNICEF Urges Women to Shun Home Child Delivery

 

By Idris Ayinde

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged women to shun giving birth to children at home so as to enhance their chances of survival during and after delivery.

Mr Oluseyi Olosunde, UNICEF’s Health Officer, Bauchi Field Office, made the call on Wednesday in Gombe state while presenting a paper titled the Optics of Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) in a media dialogue to commemorate the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD).

According to him, it was high time women were empowered to improve maternal, child health and reduce maternal and child mortality rate.

 

Olosunde explained that in some Northern states, six out of 10 delivery takes place at home while in others 8 out of 10 delivery takes place at home, exposing such children to risks of child mortality with absence of qualified health practitioners and facilities.

 

“The more we empower women, the better results we’ll get in health as it would reduce both maternal and child mortality and other health issues.

“Child delivery at home poses serious danger to the mother and the baby in case of any breach during labour as the home lacks the necessary equipment to detect the problem with a view to tackling it,” he said.

 

He also advocated for proper education of women by stakeholders on health related matters right from conception till the point of delivery, most especially in the rural areas where there were more child mortality rates.

The UNICEF Health Officer added that when a woman is educated, the chance that her child would survive is higher than the one who is not

 

He called on all health stakeholders including journalists to help build women’s capacity every now and then by telling them about dangers in pregnancy, how to manage their breast while breastfeeding, among others.

The Media Dialogue drew media practitioners from the Bauchi UNICEF Field Office Comprising of Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe and Plateau states.

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