From: Ruth Yarnap, Bauchi
Health Experts converged at the Bauchi NUJ secretariat where they discussed issues pertaining to child birth spacing among pregnant women in the society.
It was a round table discussion organized by the Bauchi state Public health media network, geared to improve the health status of pregnant women.
The State Commissioner of health, Dr. Aliyu Mai-Goro, in an address, said that the training would enable participants get acquainted with issues of child birth spacing in their domain.
Mai-Goro therefore called on pregnant women to adhered strictly to medical guidelines so as to track the implementation of child spacing.
He expressed dismay over cases of yellow fever in Gujuwa local government area of the state, and assured of the state government’s readiness to eradicate the disease in the area.
The commissioner said his ministry would embark on yellow fever vaccination across all the twenty local government areas of the state so as to curtail the spread of the disease.
Dr. Mai-Goro described journalists as key stake holders in enlightening the general public on health issues and commended the Bauchi State Public Health Media Network for their foresight in organizing the training .
The State Technical Director, Integrated Health Programme funded by USAID, Dr Ibrahim Kabo, in his remark, noted that childbirth spacing would assist in maternal and newborn survival in the society.
Kabo also enjoined households to adopt childbirth spacing in order to improve their well being and economic growth.
According to him, child spacing always empowers women in pregnancy and safe delivery, maintaining that child spacing reduces the number of abortions and sexually transmitted infectious diseases.
The focal person, Public Health Media Network, Mrs. Elizabeth Kar, who also spoke at the occasion, urged the participants to use the knowledge acquired during the training, for their maximum benefit.
In a vote thanks, the Chairman, State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Umar Sa’id pledged the commitment of all working journalists to enlightening the public on health related issues for the growth and development of the society.
Represented by his Deputy, Abbass Mai-Kano, the chairman expressed his satisfaction with the training and commended the Bauchi State Public Health Media Network for initiating the programme.
