Calabar – No fewer than 872 pregnant women out of every 100,000 die during child birth in Cross River due to pregnancy-related problems, an official has said.
The Director-General, Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu, disclosed this in Calabar on Thursday.
She spoke during a High-Level Meeting on “Sayana Press’’ Scale UP Project organised by Action Health Incorporated in collaboration with UNFPA.
Edu stressed the need for Family Planning (FP) vaccines by couples, rather than beliefs in the use of cultural practices by women especially those domiciled in the rural areas.
“Some women would tell you about salt and water, coca cola and salt, washing immediately after sex, tying of piece of red cloth around the waist region which are all cultural practices that doesn’t work,’’ the official said.
Speaking, Mrs Adenike Esiet, Executive Director, Action Health Incorporated (AHI), opined that Sayana Press is an “all in one’’, three-month progestin-only ingest-able contraceptive that can be used by women of productive age.
Esiet stated that it was not the first time that the product would be used in sub-Saharan Africa, adding that it has been used in Burkina Faso, Niger, Uganda and Senegal.
“It has been very helpful in the reduction of maternal mortality in those countries,’’ she said.
She further explained that the product, with a three-year shelve life, could be administered by anyone as long as the person has undergone training.
She advised women to always go for counselling to be able to understand the side effects in case the need arises when they use the first dose.
The executive director disclosed that the programme was billed to run in 10 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
