By Amina Ahmed
Hajiya Manu Danlami, the chairperson, Ward Development Committees (WDCs), in Ningi local government council of Bauchi State has said that the provision of Emergency Transport System, ETS, was introduced to ensure that pregnant women access and deliver their babies at healthcare facilities.
Danlami stated this during a field visit by journalists to Ningi local government area of Bauchi state.
She said that tricycles, popularly known as ‘KEKE NAPEP’ were engaged for transporting women 24 hours, seven days a week, to help ameliorate difficulties faced by women of reproductive age.
She said that at the beginning of the exercise, the transport fare was paid to owners of the vehicle depending on negotiation.
“The committee decided to look into issues affecting hospital delivery of which transportation was a major challenge.
“The committee also decided to engage owners of Keke NAPEP; we gave out our contact numbers to all stakeholders and community members to reach out whenever a pregnant woman needs to be conveyed to the health facility no matter the time.
“Some of the youths handling the Keke NAPEP are now volunteers because we no longer pay them, but assist them with stipends for fuel,” she said.
Revealing some other success stories on reproductive health, Danlami said that some husbands were also attending Ante- Natal sessions to be more educated on issues of reproductive health and child bearing.
“We see more husbands coming to ANC with their wives; they sit behind the hall and listen to all the health talks and they also come with their wives for hospital delivery.
“We are really seeing changes in the health participation from our people,” she said.
Speaking on Child Birth Spacing (CBS), Danlami disclosed their intention to commence counselling of intending couples of child birth spacing and other reproductive health issues for a healthy society.
Mrs Fatima Musa, a newly wedded woman, told our reporter that she was at the CBS unit in Ningi with the consent of her husband to make inquiries on processes and different methods of CBS.
