Posted by By Chuka Odittah on
No fewer than 20 million women in Nigeria are living with the Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV), Professor Friday Okonokua, a specialist gynaecologist and obstetric has revealed.
No fewer than 20 million women in Nigeria are living with the Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV), Professor Friday Okonokua, a specialist gynaecologist and obstetric has revealed.
Okonokua, who is the secretary-general of Society of Gynaecologist and Obstetrics of Nigeria stated this yesterday in Abuja at a one day forum for safe motherhood and HIV/AIDS in pregnancy organized by the society.
According to the gynaecologist, recent studies have shown that maternal mortality rate in Nigeria stands at 55,000 death annually, adding that a lot more women are infected without knowledge of it. He pointed out that prevalence in infection is common with girls between the ages of 15-24.
Okonokua attributed the high mortality rate in the country to a number of factors, among which he said are hypertension, prolonged labour, bleeding, delay in accessing medical assistance and others. He said that although such death could ave been prevented, lack of adequately trained personnel as well as dearth of medical equipment have stalled any progress.
As a way out, he called on the federal government through the ministry of health to as a matter of national urgency integrate orthordox midwives into the mainstream of female health care delivery chain. He explained that this can be achieved through a rapid capacity building mechanism nation wide.
Earlier in his address, national president of society of gynaecologists and obstetrics, Dr. James Akuse said there was a need for the federal government to increase the level of incentives given to medical doctors and nurses to stimulate their interest to work, rather than emigrating to other countries for better conditions of service. He also canvassed systematic training and retraining of fresh medical personnel nationwide.