The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, has expressed concern that only 30 per cent of women in Kano State give birth in hospitals, a situation that has contributed to the highest maternal death rates in the country.

He emphasised that the high maternal mortality rate in Nigeria is unacceptable.

Dr. Yusuf made this statement on Monday during a workshop held at Bristol Palace in Kano, titled ?Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII).?

He therefore stated ?We all need to join hands and make sure the intention of the federal government to crash maternal mortality in the country is achieved.

?Kano state is very important when it comes to the health sector indices and all the problems in the health sector.

?Kano, as the most populous state in the country, has the highest number of child and maternal mortalities, which gave me and the governor sleepless night when we came onboard,? Yusuf said.

According to the Health Commissioner, the Kano state government, in its efforts, has introduced free antenatal care and provided equipment to over 60 health facilities and 63 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHC).

?Kano state instituted a community-based surveillance team and we are training healthcare providers for them to be competent while increasing our financial investment in healthcare facilities,? he said.

Dr. Yusuf disclosed that only 30 per cent of women in Kano state give birth in the hospital, which he explained, was the reason for Kano state to be the highest in maternal deaths in the country.

However, Director, Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and National Programme Manager of NEMSAS, Dr. Saidu Dombulwa, said that the federal government has commenced the implementation design of the MAMII in Kano state.

According to him, ?Starting with Kano, Nigeria is on a path to crash maternal and neonatal mortality.?

However, Dr. Dombulwa, who represented the minister of Health, said the workshop was aimed at redefining the healthcare delivery in the country, by leaving no one behind and ensuring that health truly becomes a fundamental right for all.

He urged the participants to intensify their commitment to the partnership and collaborate to unfold the modus operandi of MAMII implementation.

?It is through our collective action that we can transform our aspirations into tangible realities with capstone development in our health system.

?I am optimistic that we will deliver the expected deliverable at this workshop, because of the calibre of participants present.

?Kano is a state that must be seen taking the lead in the northern part of the country. Getting Kano right means you are on the right path,? Dr. Dombulwa said.

He urged the participants to participate actively in understanding the concept of mami to ensure the smooth activation of the process in Kano and other states. (Nigerian Tribune)