The need to equip health workers with knowledge of Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care for crucial intervention and reduction of maternal and infant mortality in Rivers State has been emphasized.
The Executive Secretary of Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, Prof. Kinikanwo Green, made the remarks in Port Harcourt during a 5-day training programme for selected nurses and midwives across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
“Participants should use the opportunity to enhance their maternal and child health services, the roles are crucial especially where doctors may not be available during childbirth” he stated.
Prof. Green expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and its adoption in Rivers State.
The Primary Health Care Management Board boss then highlighted some of the achievements of the Board the World Bank funded IMPACT Malaria Plus programme, which includes the recruitment of 203 skilled birth attendants who are currently deployed to 348 health centres, significantly advancing the state’s manpower gap.
He reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to BEMoNC training, appreciating the organisers of the training for the array of Obstetricians, Gynecologist, Pediatricians, and other health experts to facilitate at the training, specifically thanking Prof. Rosemary of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital for her continuous support to capacity building.
Prof. Green, who also at the end of the 5-day training programme congratulated the trainees, underscored the critical nature of their roles in childbirth, reiterating that training and retraining of skilled birth attendants is a core mandate of the Board, even as he acknowledged the various facilitators and the unflinching support of stakeholders.
The State Focal Person , Basic Health Care Provision Fund, Mr. Buduzhi Gift Oguzor urged trainees to make good use of the knowledge acquired at the training seriously.
Some of the personalities that also attended the training programme were the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of the Health Management Board, Dr. Siyeofori Dede, and the Director in charge of Community Health Services of the Board, Dr. Joy Wihioka.
