​Adamawa Estimates‎ 216,939 Pregnant Women for 2017

By Alex Uangbaoje, Jos

About 216,939 women are estimated to be pregnant ‎in Adamawa State in 2017 and about 220 pregnancies were recorded in 2016 according to official figures

Out of this number, only 88,214 representing 41.8% visited Anti Natal‎ Clinics (ANC) for up to four times in a state that has recorded 88.9% ANC coverage and 41% Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) coverage. 

Presenting the data at the ongoing “Message ‎and Materials Development workshop” in Jos Plateau State, organised by Federal Ministry of Information and Tourism, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Executive Secretary, Adamawa State AIDS Control Agency ( ADASACA), Dr. Stephen John, identifies inadequate funding as part of the challenges militating against the uptake of Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) and PMTCT in the state. 

‎Others according to him are; absence of policies to facilitate private sector engagement, civil society engagement and community involvement in Healthcare delivery. 

Dr. Stephen, also enumerated, inadequate data collection, reporting, analysis and use of decision-making, particularly for HIV. Low PMTCT facility coverage for Anti Retroviral Vaccines (ARVs) and limited geographical access to basic MNCH and PMTCT services.

‎Other issues raised by ES are that of low ANC/institutional deliveries coverage,‎ adding that PMTCT services are mostly donor dependence.

On the part of the women he stressed that, lack of information and inadequate knowledge on signs of pregnancy complications, danger signs of labour are major constraints. 

He further added that, decision making (decision making power, knowledge of services available), transportation and arrival at the health facilities and restrictive cultural practices also affect the women.

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