NUJ Tasks Media On Nigeria’s Maternal Death Rate

President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Alhassan Yahaya, has charged media professionals successful the state to actively assistance successful combating the rising maternal mortality complaint of 1,000 deaths per 100,000 unrecorded births done strategical advocacy and reporting.

Speaking astatine a store organised by Pathfinder International for journalists from Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and the FCT, Yahaya said journalists could assistance trim maternal deaths by 40% done focused advocacy connected household readying and maternal wellness initiatives.

“As journalists, we person a cardinal relation to play successful reducing maternal mortality successful our country, particularly done household planning,” Yahaya stated, identifying hemorrhage arsenic a superior origin of maternal deaths.

The NUJ president highlighted the captious request to integrate household readying with maternal and kid wellness services, praising Pathfinders International for enhancing journalists’ capableness successful wellness reporting.
Yahaya outlined respective backing mechanisms journalists should champion, including the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and counterpart backing systems. He noted his authorities (Gombe) pioneering relation arsenic the archetypal successful Nigeria to merchandise counterpart backing to UNFPA for reproductive wellness commodities.

“Let’s beryllium reviewing fund performances each quarter,” helium urged, encouraging journalists to admit humble backing releases portion advocating for accrued healthcare allocations.
Despite mediocre remuneration successful the media sector, Yahaya emphasised that journalists could meaningfully lend to trim maternal mortality by engaging with wellness commissioners and superior healthcare executives.

He called for progressive information successful authorities fund processes, urging media professionals to advocator for enhanced healthcare backing during yearly fund cycles to “change the narrative” connected maternal health.

Senior Media and Communication Officer astatine Pathfinder International Nigeria, Bayo Ewuola, said the store aimed to deepen journalists’ and societal media influencers’ knowing of household readying and maternal wellness priorities, challenges, and opportunities crossed states.