Follow Us on Google
By Chinelo Obogo
Maternal Reproductive Health (MRH) Research Collective has launched Mamabase to collate the data of pregnant women in Lagos State, starting at the primary health level and facilitate the subsequent monitoring of the women from point of engagement till delivery
Noimot Balogun, who is one of the those spearheading the launch, said, in a statement, that through evidence-based research and work with other stakeholders to address the challenges pregnant women face in Nigeria, the initiative will help generate insights and data to provide solutions to the gaps in effective healthcare delivery at this critical tier of care. She said in Nigeria, one in every 22 women die from pregnancy-related complications and in 2020, Nigeria had the third highest maternal mortality globally with 1,047 deaths recorded per 100,000 live births. She said despite considerable efforts, Nigeria continues to record high maternal and newborn mortality and this shows the need to fill the gap of “misses and near-misses for maternal and child health survival as we approach the 2030 timeline for sustainable development goals.
“Though, various reasons for maternal and child morbidity and mortality exist; social determinants of health such as religious and cultural beliefs, educational background, informal support systems influence and poverty are re-emerging threats to survival.
“Reports show that women in communities still utilise multiple sources of healthcare during pregnancy up till delivery; health facilities, worship houses, traditional birth homes, auxiliary shops, and some even deliver at home.
“Without a community-based social system, a pregnant woman is faced with the hurdle of sieving out the plethora of information given to her by family members and friends. For example, her choice of delivery may be influenced by ‘success stories’ about an unskilled birth attendant who is ‘very good’ at handling complicated deliveries without verification.
“It may also be due to an assumption, affirmation or religiously-induced taboo about cesarean section, induction or other modern-day maternal procedures. This experience is equally pronounced during postnatal care as the new mother is made to take a myriad of concoctions to encourage breast milk secretion, wean the child, or clean the umbilical cord.
“The costs associated with formal clinical care is a challenge. In a country where the population largely pays out of pocket to access healthcare, invariably, the burden of care is pushed back to the formal system when the women are rushed in as emergencies due to complications.”
Thus deliberate efforts must be made by the health providers in the value chain to meet women at these various degrees of vulnerability.
“This is the idea behind the MamaBase registry, and the #WeMenForHer campaign, the MRH Research Collective is set to achieve as its broad mandate. Through evidence-based research and work with other stakeholders to address these challenges, the initiative will help generate insights and data to provide solutions to the gaps in effective healthcare delivery at this critical tier of care. The MamaBase registry will be coming to communities all around Nigeria, starting with Lagos State,” she said.
