Medical Directors of 30 public hospitals comprising general and rural hospitals across 23 Local Governments in Kaduna State, met in Kaduna, to review the maternal mortality rate in the state.

The doctors, at 2018 bi-annual Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDRS) review meeting in Zaria, also assessed the state’s secondary health facilities efforts in providing quality obstetrics care to the people.

The two-day meeting, supported by the State Ministry of Health and Human Services and Maternal and Neonatal Child Health 2 (MNCH2), presented an MPDRS data for January-September 2018.

Caleb Mohammed of Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital of the Kaduna State University and Secretary MPDRS committee while presenting the nine-month data, said 161 maternal death and 1,157 perinatal death was recorded out of a total of 16,409 deliveries during the period under review.

He described Post-Partum Hemorrhage (PPH), Eclampsia and Sepsis among major causes of maternal death.

“Stillbirth, birth asphyxia, jaundice and other anomalies are causes of the perinatal death,” he said.

Mr Mohammed added that 57 per cent of the total perinatal deaths recorded are due to stillbirth complications. Birth asphyxia takes13 per cent, jaundice 8 per cent and 22 per cent caused by other anomalies.

The secretary said 1,959 CS were carried out across all the 30 facilities with BDTH recording 303, followed by Gwamna Awan General Hospital with 254, Yusuf Dantsoho General Hospital 226, with the least from Turunku Rural Hospital recording only one CS.

According to the data presented, out of the total 161 maternal death included BDTH also with the highest at 29, followed by Saminaka General Hospital with 16, General Hospital Giwa recorded 12, Yusuf Dantsoho 9, while Zonkwa, Gwantu and Turunku General Hospitals recorded zero maternal death, among others.

Of the 1,157 perinatal death, BDTH recorded 148, Saminaka 132, Ikara 75, Kagarko 50 with Turunku recording the lowest two among others.

This is in comparison to the results of 2017 MPDSR from BDTH and the 29 secondary level health facilities across the state, that recorded 176 maternal death, 266 perinatal death and 2,538 caesarean section out of the total of 24,572 deliveries.

At the end of the meeting, Dr Joel Adze of Kaduna State University (KASU) enumerated some of the facilities challenges to include lack of paediatrics ward in General Hospital Zangon Kataf, grossly inadequate labour room at Kwoi, BDTH, Zango; lack of neonatal unit in Rigasa and the need for expansion of labour room at Kagarko and Birnin Gwari respectively.

Other challenges enumerated by the Mr. Adze are poor access to rural hospital Kujama and the need to renovate the burnt staff quarters of the hospital.

Dr. Paul Dogo, Commissioner Kaduna State Ministry of Health and Human Resources, represented by his Permanent Secretary, Alh Shehu Mohammed, in his remarks, assured that adequate drugs and equipment will be provided to all hospitals for improved service delivery.

He said government will introduce an annual reward system for personnel and facilities that excelled in providing efficient services.

He expressed appreciation to KADMAM, MCH-CS Partners, MNCH 2 for their support towards improved healthcare services in the state.

Thee representatives of media practitioners, Kaduna State Accountability Mechanism (KADMAM), Maternal and Child Healthcare-Civil Society-Partnership (MCH-CS Partners) are among stakeholders in attendance.

•Photo by Garba Muhammad shows medical doctors from 30 public hospitals of Kaduna State and stakeholders at the 2018 bi-annual Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDRS) review meeting in Zaria.