Midwives decry poor infrastructure, staff shortage in public hospitals

By Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has decried the poor state of infrastructure in the nation’s hospitals, saying this remains a great challenge to the delivery of quality services by health professionals.

Speaking during a free medical outreach service at Dutse Market, a satellite town in the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on Monday, NANNM Third Vice President, Mrs. Mercy Azonwu said that there were many things midwives were expected to do that they could not do as a result of poor facilities.

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While appealing to the federal government to ensure health facilities across the country are in good shape, with functional facilities Mrs. Azonwu added that recruitment of more professional nurses would promote adequate staffing and improve quality healthcare service delivery.

 “Employment of frontline healthcare workers is unavoidable as a nation because it will reduce maternal and child mortality rate and avoidance of needless death of our citizens.

“If you check the hospitals today, you will see that the midwives are not many. A lot of them are retired. A lot of them are not in the system. How can there be no issues of high mortality rate when the midwives are not enough to take care of patients.

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“There are no employments; we have been asking the government for more infrastructure to perform maximally in vain. When those things are not in place, you will discover that this will fall back on the issue of high mortality rate.

“That is why we are also using this opportunity to plead with the federal government to reconsider their desire, policies as far as the employment of nurses and midwives is concern,’’ she said.

Also speaking, the FCT Chairman, Deborah Yusuf, urged that as a country, the nation needs a stronger health system that ensures healthcare is accessible and affordable for all, especially those in rural communities.

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She maintained that there must be greater political will and commitment to ensure that the health of mothers and children remain a priority.

“Government at all levels must ensure the sustainability of the midwifery workforce, particularly in the area of automatic absorption of midwives into the health workforce, instead of throwing them back into the labour market,” she added.

Beneficiaries of the outreach services commended the nurses for going the extra -mile to reach out to over 500 market women and children, and giving out free drugs and services.

Mrs. Lovett Maxwell, who displayed the drugs given to her freely, said but for the programme, she wouldn’t have known that her blood pressure was high.

‘’I was tested of malaria and typhoid. My blood pressure was very high. After given me these drugs, they also advised me to go back to the hospital so that I will be properly taken care of. I am very grateful to them’’, she said.