The Struggle to Reduce High Maternal Mortality in Nigeria
),
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Corresponding Author
Abstract
According to UNICEF estimates for Nigeria, maternal mortality ratio is 1100 per 100,000 live births, antenatal care coverage 47 percent, institutional delivery rate 33 percent, and each woman bears six children on the average. Reducing the high maternal mortality ratio, which is the prime concern, has hitherto concentrated on transforming the health system through bringing resources and expertise to bear on the high maternal mortality per se including some of its surrounding elements. It has failed. High maternal mortality must be tackled at a much more fundamental level. In the complexities and uniqueness of Nigeria’s current situation, it is suggested that the fundamental remedy is to stamp out the chaos in the country by getting the politics and governance structures right. Accurate population census is paramount. Compulsory registration of births and deaths, fixing the broken-down educational system and bringing back the public service ethos the country once had, are core issues (Afr J Reprod Health 2009; 13[3]:9-20).
RĖSUMĖ
La lutte pour réduire la mortalité maternelle élevée au Nigéria. D’après les chiffres de la UNICEF pour le Nigéria, le rapport de la mortalité maternelle est de 1100 contre 100.000 naissances vivantes, 47% pour la couverture des soins prénatals, 33% pour le taux d’accouchement institutionnel et chaque femme donne naissance à six enfants en moyenne. Réduire la mortalité maternelle élevée qui constituait l’affaire de la plus grande importance, avait jusqu’ici mis l’accent sur la transformation du système sanitaire à travers les ressources et l’expertise consacrées à la mortalité maternelle élevée en soi, y compris certains éléments autour. Il faut aborder le problème de la mortalité maternelle élevée à un niveau beaucoup plus fundamental. Etant donné les complexiés et le caractère unique de la situation actuelle du Nigéria, nous suggérons que la solution fondamentale sera d’éliminer le chaos par la mise en place d’une bonne politique et d’une bonne gouvernance. Un recensement exact de la population est d’une importance primordiale. Les questions principales comprennent l’inscription obligatoire des naissances, la réhabilitation du système d’éducation qui est en panne et la restoration de la philosophie des services publics qui existait autrefois dans le pays (Afr J Reprod Health 2009; 13[3]:9-20).
KEYWORDS: Antinatal care, Birth, Death, Maternal mortality, Nigeria
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