The Federal Government has expressed deep concern over the alarming rates of maternal and infant mortality in Sokoto State, revealing that 44 out of 100 newborns in the state do not survive.
Seeking localized solutions to address this crisis, the Special Adviser on Health of the Presidential Advisory Committee, Salma Ibrahim, made these revelations during a meeting with Governor Ahmed Aliyu. Ibrahim emphasized that Sokoto bears the highest burden of maternal and infant deaths in the country, with a neonatal mortality rate higher than the national average. She pointed out challenges like low antenatal care attendance and a significant percentage of deliveries by untrained attendants, urging the state to find homegrown solutions to improve the situation.
Despite an increase in family planning, she stressed the need for a collective effort to accelerate the reduction of maternal deaths. Governor Aliyu pledged the state’s commitment to collaborate with the Presidential Advisory Committee on Health to address these critical health issues.
