……as USAID IHP supports re-training of state MPCDSR steering committee
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
A 3 day high level training for key Bauchi State health care actors and members of the Maternal,Perinatal and Child Death Surveillance and Response (MPCDSR) steering committee has commenced on Wednesday 26th April, 2023, in Azare, Katagum LG of Bauchi State.
The training was organized by the Bauchi State MPCDSR steering committee, with support from USAID funded Integrated Health Program (USAID IHP) TO3, with the main objective of exposing participants to the concepts, rationale and philosophy of MPCDSR in Bauchi State amongst other objectives.
Alhaji Aliyu Babayo Gamawa, permanent secretary , Bauchi State ministry of health while welcoming participants expressed his hope that after the three days training, a robust mechanism will be developed to track deaths associated with pregnant women, newborn and child deaths with a view to assisting government into taking informed decisions towards improved healthcare service delivery in Bauchi State.
Also speaking, the Bauchi state commissioner of health, Dr. Sabiu Abdu Gwalabe said the State ministry of health is looking forward to a wonderful outcome of the training that is hoped to chart a way forward towards in addressing challenges around maternal, newborn and child health in the state.
In a presentation titled, “Trends in Maternal, Perinatal and Child Mortality”, Technical Director of USAID IHP, Dr. Ibrahim Kabo said that major causes of maternal deaths in Bauchi State are hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders and sepsis.
Dr. Kabo said that, until each and every stakeholder within and outside government circles makes it his or her business to aid in fast racking improved services in health care services, the outcome of the neglect will come back to hunt us in different ways.
In another presentation, the human resource and capacity building advisor of USAID IHP, Dr. Yusuf Robinson said that the primary goal of MPCDSR is to eliminate preventable maternal, perinatal and child mortality by obtaining and using information on deaths to guide public health actions and monitor their impacts.
Dr. Robinson said that MPCDSR also aims to provide information and data that will lead to specific recommendations and actions, and improve evaluation of their effectiveness.
There were good will messages from WHO, UNICEF, Plan International and J4PD, all commending the efforts of the State MPCDSR Steering Committee and also pledged to key into their future activities in an effort to reverse the negative health indices associated with Bauchi State.
An action plan is expected at the end of the three days capacity training.