Bauchi to make childbirth at health facilities compulsory

The Bauchi state government says it is considering legislation to prohibit the rising rate of home births.

This was reportedly disclosed at a two-day high-level engagement with state and local government policymakers and legislators to improve sexual and reproductive health and rights, maternal, newborn, child healthcare, and nutrition.

Rilwanu Mohammed, the executive chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board (BSPHDB), said the board realised that many women attended antenatal care but then delivered at home.

He said this could lead to complications and contribute to maternal and child mortality in the state.

“We have decided to bring everybody on board, the speaker of the house of assembly and his members, local government policymakers, and others, to review our budgeting and releases. Maternal and child mortality are our concern. We are also tackling gender, sexual and reproductive health rights, and nutrition,” he said.

“Over the years, our budget has been above the Abuja Declaration of 15 per cent for health, but we are taking more steps ahead to ensure that it really translates to target goals.

“One of the suggestions made was that the state should have legislation that will compel women to attend antenatal care and deliver in health facilities.

“If a woman fails to attend antenatal or deliver in a health facility, there should be a penalty, either by monetary fines or a jail term, because she is jeopardising the lives of our children and that of herself.”

Also speaking, Nuzhat Rafique, chief of the field office, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), expressed concern about the high level of maternal and child mortality in the state.

The official said if such a law were enacted, nobody could stop women from attending antenatal care or delivering in a hospital, adding that with support from the Canadian Government, UNICEF is embarking on a project on the sexual and reproductive health rights of adolescent girls, focusing on empowering and educating them to become healthy mothers of the future.

She said this would automatically reduce maternal and child mortality in the state.

She explained that UNICEF is working with health stakeholders and traditional and religious leaders to ensure that women are aware of the health services they need to access during pregnancy for safe delivery, as well as post-delivery services they need to access.

“We are starting from the root cause and working on access to health services for pregnant mothers. A pregnant mother should deliver in a safe environment with quality care, which can significantly reduce newborn and maternal mortality at the same time,” she said.