Unhygienic practices leading to maternal deaths

The United Nations Children’s Fund says 80 per cent of maternal deaths are caused by unhygienic delivery practices at Primary Health Care Centres nationwide.

The UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist, Mr. Bioye Ogunjobi, said this at a national stakeholders’ workshop on ‘Draft Hygiene Promotion Strategy and Guidelines’ in Abuja.

He said the effective provision of wash facilities will go a long way to promote safe health care.

He explained that in Nigeria, many public health centers, PHC, do not adhere to minimum wash standards to provide adequate and safe levels of health care.

He said:

"For a PHC to work well, they must have a good source of water, safe excreta disposal, drainage, hospital waste and hygiene promotion facilities.’’

He said that inadequate access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities have caused 10 out of 100 hospitalisations in Nigeria.

 

He said that with effective hygiene promotion 50 per cent transmission of water and excreta- related diseases would be reduced to the barest minimum.

 

 

 

 

Punch