...As over 500 expectant mothers receive lifelines
The joy of over 500 pregnant women from the 31 local government areas of the state knew no limits today Tuesday, June 21, 2022, as they benefited from the Martha's Pregnacare Outreach, the 10th edition.
With the theme: “Pregnancy , Child Birth and Beyond” the quarterly-held initiative is a reproductive health programme of Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path-Initiative, (FEYReP), aimed at reducing maternal death and child morbidity in Akwa Ibom. From inception in 2018 till date, over 4000 pregnant women have benefited from the scheme.
The FEYReP boss, Her Excellency, Dr. Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel while speaking, said the outreach was borne out of her strong desire to minimize the rate of deaths of pregnant women during child-birth through sensitization and the provision of basic maternity kits for pregnant women.
“This programme which is in its 10th edition is a sustained intervention aimed at fostering responsible care for our women, especially those of child-bearing age in the State from the time of conception to delivery. As it has become traditional with us in FEYReP, we will continue to provide all the needed support and reach out to as many families as we can, " Emmanuel said.
The First Lady, while admonishing the pregnant mothers to adhere wholly to the teachings received, added that they must always seek proper medical attention by enrolling in ante-natal care during pregnancy.
The governor’s wife furthered that she was not against the practice of traditional birth attendants, but however, insisted that it was expedient for all expectant mothers to visit the hospital when they are pregnant to have proper medical records during and after childbirth.
“Don’t risk yourself by patronizing untrained personnel during pregnancy. Once you know you are pregnant, the first place to go is the hospital or health centers, I have said it over time that so many deaths recorded during pregnancy are occasioned by the fact that they refused going to the hospital for check-up and ante-natal,” she asserted.
Mrs. Emmanuel furthered that as women and mothers, it was necessary for them to engage in economic activity to support their husbands insisting that it would better their status during and after pregnancy.
Speaking earlier, the Coordinator of the FEYReP, Dr. Idoreyin Ekanam, while appreciating the Governor’s wife for her consistency in holding the reproductive health programme, said over 3000 women have become beneficiaries of the event which is in its 10th edition.
She added that Mrs. Emmanuel's passion in curbing maternal deaths and child morbidity in the state has already placed her in the annals of history in the state, and prayed God to bless her.
Similarly, the UNFPA representative in Nigeria, Ms. Maria Rhakovic, in her goodwill message, expressed delight at the the programme which according to her falls in line with her organisation's goals of promoting child and women's health in the country. She thanked the governor's wife for her genuine love for her people and prayed for the continuation of the programme.
On hand to deliver their separate health talks were Dr. Eno Mkpang who spoke on the topic: ‘Nutrition during Pregnancy Post Delivery and Early Childhood', and Dr. Mary Udoh spoke on “Ante-natal Care: Key to Healthy Pregnancy and Child Health,” while Dr. Imabong Inwang who spoke on the 'Myths and facts of Caesarean Section' and Mrs. Florence Bassey “Nutrition and Health benefits of Vitamin A Crops.”
The resource persons, who identified reasons for deaths during childbirth, spoke against pregnant mothers’ patronage of Traditional Birth Attendants, and as well charged them to always engage in proper medical check-ups and ante-natal in order to detect any anomaly during pregnancy. They thanked the governor’s wife for the platform to educate the pregnant women, saying it will drastically reduce the tide in the state.
Some beneficiaries of the previously held event had only words of appreciation for the governor’s wife for providing them the enabling and educative platform to learn, saying it contributed a lot to their successful delivery.
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