The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has said that poor attitude of some health care workers negatively impact on some women’s decision to seek and demand for health care services.
Dr Rabi Sagir, Programme Officer, Maternal Health UNFPA Nigeria made this known while briefing newsmen during the medical outreach programme in commemoration of the 2018 World Midwifery Day.
Free medical services were provided by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives in collaboration with UNFPA at Gwagwa market in Abuja Municipal Area Council.
Sagir said UNFPA, in partnership with other international organizations, inaugurated the Global Charter on respectful maternity care to improve the attitude of health workers.
She added that the charter was to enable health care workers to have more respect for the patient and also enable them to recognize that their client has rights for a quality health care.
She, however, noted that addressing the poor attitude of health workers has also aligned with the theme for the 2018 International day for the midwives which is “midwives leading the way to quality care.
She added that quality care should focus on client satisfaction, quality of service, timeliness and respect for dignity for all women and client generally.
Sagir said commemoration of the international midwifery day, which is observed on May 5, was aimed at recognizing key role midwives play in saving the lives of women and young children.
She said National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives Association in collaboration with UNFPA, were taking health services to the under -served population, poor and the vulnerable Nigerians.
“Our major concern is to see women having access to obstetric care. Many women in Nigeria do not access ante-natal care, it is even worse in delivery at facilities.
“Less 40 per cent of pregnant women deliver in health facilities, many prefer to deliver at home without assistance from a skilled birth attendant due to socio cultural reasons,’’ she said
Mrs Margret Akinsola, National Vice President, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives said the association had been celebrating in markets across the federal capital territory.
Akinsola said the association wanted to get its services to the people that needed it most but did not have access to such services.
She added that the market women and the community at large needed to be sensitized and know the difference between quacks and the trained and skilled midwives.
Akinsola said many women when interrogated during counseling session said they go to herbalists or traditional birth attendants.
“We have counselled and educated them and believe that the little knowledge we impacted in them will reap good results,’’ she said.
Mrs Olubunmi Ayedun, President, National Association of Nigeria Paediatric Nurses (NAPAN) said the programme was in recognition of the wholesome activity a midwife does to protect the mother and child while given birth.
She said pregnancy was a sensitive and delicate period adding the association was in the community to sensitize women on how to take care of themselves during pregnancy and child birth.
“We have discovered that many women in the community do not attend ante-natal clinics during pregnancy, and delivery.
”We have also discovered that many women are hypertensive and they did not know, while some reacted positive to malaria parasite.
“These ailments works against the developing foetus that is why we are advocating for a healthy life style,’’ Ayedun said.
Earlier, the Chief of Gwagwa, Alhaji Shuaib Baurau appealed for more health personnel, drugs and other consumables at the health facility in Gwagwa.
