From Ahmed Kaigama,Bauchi
Bauchi State Accountability Mechanism on Maternal Child Health (BaSAM),in collaboration with Mamaye Evidence for Action (E4A), a UK Sponsored project has expressed worry over unavailability of functional blood banks in 19 Secondary Health Facilities in Bauchi state.
In his presentation during the Maternal Newborn and Child Health Scorecard of Bauchi state from January to June 2017 held in Bauchi on Thursday, Mamaye Evidence Advisor Daniel Abraham said survey conducted by Mamaye showed that only 8 out of the 27 Secondary Health Facilities have blood bank in the state.
According to him “the survey we conducted from July to September 2017 indicated that only 8 facilities have blood when needed. Though some of the facilities have blood bank but unfortunately they are not working.
Abraham also disclosed that only 17 SHF have Magnesium Sulphate which is one of the live saving drugs for mothers and newborn.
He called on state government to provide functional blood bank to all the SHF in the state to safe the lives of mothers during child birth.
He said “state government need to do more to make blood banks available because lack of blood bank in the facilities hinders efficient of medical care to pregnant mothers.
Abraham also charge the state government to ensure regular supply if live saving drugs to all facilities to save the lives of pregnant mothers during delivery.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Knowledge Management Communication subcommittee of Bauchi State Accountability Mechnaism (BASAM), Bulak Afsa urged the state ministry of health to make data on number of pregnant women with HIV available as well as ensure that all HIV positive women receive antiretroviral medicine.
“The State Ministry of Health should also work with the Primary Health Care Development Agency to identify barriers and solutions on the importance of attending antenatal care in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and postnatal clinic visit within two or at least three days of delivery”.
Afsa charge the state government to allocate resources to strengthen linkages between health facilities and Traditional Birth Attendants adding “the government should develop and implement a plan to strengthen support and training if TBAs to encourage more referral of women to facilities and maternity care.
The Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Health, Dr Saidu Aliyu Gital assured that the state government will ensure the availability of blood bank in all facilities for survival of pregnant mothers.
“We want to assure that we shall pay more attention to all our health facilities and ensure provision of blood bank in all secondary and tertiary health facilities in 2018”.
