University Don proffers solution to high maternal death

Oluwafemi Kuti, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has lamented the high rate of maternal death in the country while citing political will as a critical necessity to making the prevention of maternal and prenatal death a priority.

According to him, “For the accelerated reduction of maternal and perinatal mortality rates in Nigeria, we need to learn from the experience of the developed countries that have been able to reduce their MMR to less than 10 per 100,000”.

He further disclosed that professionalizing care in pregnancy and childbirth is key to their success and involves training enough midwives to ensure that ONLY qualified personnel attend to all births.

Professor Kuti was delivering his inaugural lecture titled, “That they will not labour in vain nor bear children doomed for misfortune: Efforts of an obstetrician and gynaecologist” delivered on Tuesday.

He concluded that efforts had generated a sufficient body of knowledge, competent personnel, and solid institutions to protect women from perinatal death. “With a strong political will, we need to professionalize Midwifery Care, Improve the Standard of Health care at all levels, and make women’s care during delivery and childbirth free”.

Offering more solutions to the problem, Kuti also proposed a National Safe Delivery Programme that would involve interventions that address direct obstetric complications, which must be backed by an enabling law to make it a national project.