Anambra State Ministry of Health has celebrated the 2020 “Safe
Motherhood Day” with a call on pregnant women to start antenatal care
on time to prevent avoidable complications.
The event, which took place in Awka attracted Reproductive Health Supervisors from the twenty-one local government areas of the state, staff of the Ministry of Health and twenty-one pregnant women from each of the council areas of the state.
In a welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Anambra State ministry
of Health, Dr John Ndibe, said safe motherhood is a topical issue
globally but more so in developing countries where there are still
very high maternal and infant mortality rate.
He noted that it is not fair that women, while bringing forth life
into the world, dies in the process, especially when there are
interventions to prevent such.
Dr Ndibe stressed the need for pregnant mothers to register early for
antenatal as well as patronize skilled birth attendants in government
approved health facilities.
In a lecture, one of the facilitators, Lady Chinelo Isiogu, explained
that the celebration of this year’s safe motherhood is to among other
things, encourage pregnant mothers to access safe and quality
antenatal care to enable them deliver their babies safely.
She disclosed that the 2020 motherhood celebration was supposed to be
held on the eleventh of April but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it
was shifted to May.
During his lecture, the Director Public Health and Disease Control,
Anambra State, Dr Uchebo Onyejimbe, who spoke extensively on Emergency Obstetric care, emphasized the dangers pregnant mothers encounter when they patronize unskilled birth attendants which according to him, can result in the death of the mothers and their babies.
Dr Onyejimbe while speaking on measures women can take to prevent
infections and diseases during pregnancy asked them to always maintain
body and environmental hygiene.
In a brief remark, a Reproductive Health Supervisor, Mrs. Obiageli
Uchebo, thanked God for Governor Willie Obiano’s interventions in the
Health Sector and charged pregnant participants to carry the message
of the day’s event to their various communities.
In appreciation, one of the pregnant mothers, Mrs. Ukamaka Emeka from
Ihiala, who affirmed that she learnt a lot from the occasion, thanked
the organizers and prayed God to bless them.
Presentation of gift items to the pregnant mothers and group
photograph featured during the event.
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