Stakeholders in Bauchi’s health sector have called on the state house of assembly to expedite action on a bill seeking to ban childbirth outside health facilities, citing alarming rates of maternal and neonatal mortality.
According to national data, Bauchi has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country.
Mr Seyi Olosunde, a health specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), while speaking at a recent training workshop for over 50 journalists in Bauchi on maternal reporting, highlighted that many newborns die within their first 28 days due to preventable causes linked to unsafe delivery practices.
The Speaker of the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Abubakar Suleiman, had earlier disclosed plans to introduce the bill, citing findings that only 31% of women in Bauchi deliver in health facilities, while 69% give birth at home.
Stakeholders, including officials from the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board and development partners, supported the proposed law, arguing it could improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes.
However, they stressed that implementation will require improved access to quality healthcare services, upgraded infrastructure, and addressing affordability barriers.
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