Maternal Death: Varsity Don Advocates State Of Emergency In Health Sector

Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, SAN (L), reading the citation of the Inaugural Lecturer, Prof. Oluwarotimi Ireti Akinola

By LOVETH AZODO, Lagos

Lagos State University (LASU) Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Professor Oluwarotimi Akinola has said that only a proclamation of a state of emergency in the health sector with all it portends will focus the needed attention to reverse the trend of high maternal death in Nigeria.

Professor Akinola made this recommendation Tuesday at LASU 74th Inaugural Lecture Series in Lagos, titled: God’s Will: That In Reproduction There Might Be Health.

Citing the CIA fact sheets, he stated that in 2015, the maternal mortality ratio figures in Nigeria stood at 814/100,000.

Akinola, an Evangelist in the Anglican Church opined that it is unlikely that Nigeria will attain the SDG target of maternal mortality ratio of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, if she remains trapped in a high fertility rate.

During his recommendations, he urged the federal government to improve the socio-economic status of women through investment in education “the improvement would modulate the health seeking behavior, facilitate women empowerment and minimize the 1st level delay,” he said.

On causes of maternal mortality, he said “the most common cause of maternal mortality is haemorrhage (24.8percent), followed by Infection (14.9percent), Eclampsia 12.9percent, unsafe abortion (12 .9percent), obstructed labor (6.9percent) and indirect causes account for 19.8percent).

Akinola called on the government, civil societies, parliaments, health workers journalists to commit to addressing the root causes of maternal death by ensuring improvement in the status of women through provision of universal basic education, universal health care, promotion of adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights to mention but a few.

“Prevention of postpartum haemorrhage is firmly rooted in the active management of the third stage of labour,” he said.