Bauchi State commissioner for health Dr Zuwaira Hassan has called on Traditional and Religious leaders to step-up enlightenment campaign on Child Birth Spacing (CBS) in communities across the state.
The commissioner made the call at the public drama awareness campaign tagged, “Da Haihuwa Tara yu yu yu Gara daya mai Kwari” (better to give birth to one good child than giving birth to nine children without proper care) by a cultural Group known as Yanke Yanke Drama Group in Bauchi.
She charged religious and traditional leaders to expand access to knowledge and clarify child birth spacing services to people within the jurisprudence of the two major religions.
“I think the key issue is that people need to understand the benefits of birth spacing so they can voluntarily access the services.
“We have been able to achieve tremendous milestones in the state such that the traditional and religious leaders are now very supportive and are therefore providing the necessary community voices to increase awareness by calling on people to access the services,” Dr Zuwaira said
The commissioner of health commended the drama group for organising the awareness campaign, adding that the use of drama and music in sensitization and awareness would be more understood by the general public across the state.
Dr Zuwaira also appealed to husbands to encourage their wives to access Child Birth spacing services by accompanying them to health facilities.
Earlier Mrs Rabi Ekele, the state Programme Coordinator of The Challenge Initiative (TCI), explained that child birth spacing provides many benefits to mothers, children, fathers, and the family which enable the mother to regain her health after delivery.
“CBS gives enough time and opportunity to love and provide attention to her husband and children. It also gives more time for her family and own personal advancement, she said.
Ekele appealed to the state government to increase and release funds for CBS services to allow for more access to the services in the state.
She said child birth spacing reduces the number of unintended pregnancies, as well as maternal and new-born deaths.
Ekele pledged that TCI will continue to partner with the state government and the drama group in educating and providing awareness on CBS services in the state.
On his part, the District Head of Miri in Bauchi Local Government and Sallaman Bauchi, Alhaji Adamu Jahun said the roles of traditional and religious leaders are paramount in the provision of CBS services in the communities.
According to him, the traditional leaders have a big task on the issue of promoting CBS because of their proximity with the communities.
He however urged the village and wards heads to continue counselling and educating their subjects to access CBS services in communities and attending Antenatal care in the health facilities.
