Copyright tribuneonlineng
THE team lead of Rotary’s Maternal and Child Health Project, Rotary Past Governor Adeniji Raji, has said that community birth attendants (CBA) are an important element in our health delivery service for Nigeria to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for women and children. Speaking at a three-day training workshop for community birth attendants on safe prenatal care, malaria, and malnutrition in pregnant women as part of the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive Maternal and Child Health (RMCH) project, Rotary Raji stated that community birth attendants deliver nearly 70% of all babies in many parts of Nigeria. According to Raji, who was represented by Rotary Past Governor Yomi Adewunmi, the project coordinator, traditional birth attendants—now known as community birth attendants—are the first people that many expectant women visit; they serve as their advisors, assistants, and often comforters. “Our project called ‘Little Steps, Big Help’ focuses on tackling malaria and malnutrition in pregnant women and children under five years. We believe that if we work together – Rotary, primary health centres and you, the CBA – we can save many more lives and bring joy to many families,” he said. He said that saving mothers and children is not just the work of doctors and nurses, but it is the work of everyone, including the community birth attendants. According to him, three CBAs have been chosen from each local government in the project’s regions based on their background and the regard they have in their communities, with the intent to use what they have gained at the workshop to instruct others. Rotary Past Governor Raji, said the training was designed to make sure CBTs are more knowledgeable about safe pregnancy and delivery procedures, comprehend the effects of malaria and malnutrition on expectant mothers, feel comfortable interacting with health centre staff, know when and how to refer challenging cases, and continue to treat every woman with love, care, and respect. The reproductive health coordinator of the Oyo State Primary Health Care Board, Mrs Funmilayo Abodunrin, said the Oyo State government is working towards crushing maternal mortality and also working on organizing the CBAs to link them to health facilities and attach health workers to support them in their different clinics. According to Mrs. Abodunrin, the purpose of the link is to guarantee that the state has sufficient data on births and that all expectant mothers receive preventive measures such as tetanus toxoid injections, malaria prevention, and multinutrient supplements to lessen pregnancy anaemia. Mrs. Adekola Folakemi, the state chairwoman for community birth attendants and voluntary health workers, stated that no CBA prays for the death of any expectant mother or child. In order to prevent the deaths of women and children, she also urged everyone to work together more.
