In a bid to combat maternal mortality, the Lagos State Ministry of Health, in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Saving One Million Lives Programme for Results (SOMLPforR), organized a three-day training for healthcare workers.
The training, held at the LCCI Conference Centre in Alausa-Ikeja from September 11-13, focused on the active management of the third stage of labour. Approximately 40 healthcare workers from primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities attended.
The training aimed to equip healthcare workers with necessary skills to manage childbirth and postpartum complications, particularly preventing excessive bleeding, a leading cause of maternal deaths in Nigeria.
Participants engaged in theoretical and practical sessions, including clinical demonstrations using mannequins and hands-on practice with anti-shock garments and uterotonic drugs.
According to Dr. Folasade Oludara, Director of Family Health and Nutrition, Lagos State Ministry of Health, the training addressed postpartum haemorrhage, responsible for a significant portion of maternal deaths globally and in Nigeria.
Healthcare workers learned proper use of uterotonic drugs like oxytocin and misoprostol, delayed cord clamping techniques, and effective use of partographs to monitor labour.
The training emphasized interpersonal skills, improving communication and empathy between healthcare workers and patients to enhance the birthing experience.
Facilitator Professor Yusuf Oshodi stressed that addressing postpartum haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy could reduce maternal mortality by 40%.
Participants praised the training’s practical approach, expressing confidence in their newfound skills to save lives.
Lagos State’s commitment to reducing maternal mortality rates continues, with support from international partners like UNFPA and SOMLPforR, through capacity-building programs for healthcare workers.
