Rita Enemuru, Reporting
THE Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has pledged its commitment to implementing the Federal Government’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), as part of efforts to curb preventable maternal and newborn deaths across the region.
The commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, following a Traditional Birth Attendant Workshop organised by the NDDC in Delta and Bayelsa States.
“Alarming” Death Rates Demand Urgent Action
Speaking at the workshop, NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, advised women to embrace orthodox medicine to limit maternal and newborn deaths, warning that “the rate of death in children and women is alarming and needs eradication.”
Ogbuku, who was represented by the NDDC Principal Manager of Education, Health and Social Services (EHSS), Mrs. Dare-Oloko Kuami, urged traditional birth attendants to combine the traditional birthing system with orthodox medicine to achieve greater efficiency and reduce mortality.
“This training is meant to enlighten our women and should not be taken for granted,” he stated, emphasising that the programme is designed to strengthen their knowledge and skills in safe maternal and newborn care, early identification of pregnancy-related complications, and timely referral of high-risk cases to health centres and hospitals.
300 Women Trained and Empowered
The NDDC Director of EHSS, Dr. Patience Ezugu, urged women to take childbirth seriously to save lives, advising them to equip themselves with knowledge to assist others in the community.
Ezugu, represented by the NDDC Principal Manager of EHSS, Dr. Otokolo Fidelis, revealed that over 300 women participated in the training across Delta and Bayelsa States. Participants were empowered with medical equipment and cash support to enhance their capacity to provide safe maternal care.
Trusted Community Figures at the Frontline
One of the resource persons, Mrs. Gift Akitiri, emphasised the critical role traditional birth attendants play in many communities and stressed the importance of continuous training.
“Traditional birth attendants are trusted members of many communities, and by equipping them with updated knowledge, we are helping to ensure that mothers and newborns will receive timely, appropriate care and improve health outcomes,” she said.
Participants Express Gratitude
Mrs. Franscica Odiakosa, a traditional birth attendant who participated in the training, expressed appreciation for the workshop and thanked the NDDC for organising the programme.u
“It is a very good thing that NDDC did; I have gained a lot of knowledge today that would enhance the quality of health care I will provide for the community, and I have also learnt to refer mothers to the health centres and hospitals when I cannot handle the situation,” she stated.
A Regional Response to a National Crisis
The training initiative represents a significant step in addressing Nigeria’s persistently high maternal and neonatal mortality rates, which remain among the highest in the world. By engaging traditional birth attendants – who are often the first point of contact for women in rural and underserved communities – the NDDC is working to bridge the gap between traditional practices and modern medical care.
The commission’s commitment to the MAMII initiative signals a recognition that reducing maternal and newborn deaths requires a multi-pronged approach that combines community engagement, skills development and improved referral systems.
For the women of the Niger Delta, the training offers hope that the journey to motherhood can be safer, and that the tragedy of preventable deaths may one day become a thing of the past.
