MATERNAL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: AN ASSESSMENT OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL’S INTERVENTION PROGRAMME (2000-2007)
MATERNAL HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: AN ASSESSMENT OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL’S INTERVENTION PROGRAMME (2000-2007)
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Date
2011-10
Authors
IBIWUNMI, JOHN YEMISI
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
Health is a basic human right that is vital to sustainable development, but this right
appears to elude the majority of women, according to a 2003 World Bank Report. This is
because as was reported by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA),
“every minute, another woman dies in childbirth. In Nigeria, one in 13 women face a
lifetime risk of maternal death while another estimated 2 million women are faced with
other pregnancy-related diseases such as Fistula. Nigeria is only 2 percent of world’s
population but accounts for over 10 percent of the world’s maternal deaths. This dismal
situation informed a 1987 International Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, where nations all
over the world made a commitment to reduce maternal mortality by taking measures to
improve the health of mothers through the “Safe Motherhood Initiative”. In spite of this,
the problem did not abate. This led to the United Nations to include a 75 percent
reduction in maternal mortality as one of its Millennium Development Goals (DMGs). In
order to give support and supplement the efforts of governments in Nigeria, especially in
the north, where maternal deaths were 1,549 per 100,000 as against that of 165 per
100,000 deaths in the southwest. Consequently, the Rotary International embarked on a
maternal health project, which took place during 1995-2000 with a pilot Project in two
Local Government Areas, and later scaled up to cover six States from year 2000 to 2007
(child spacing, Family health, and HIV/AIDS education). This study aimed to know the
objectives of the Rotary Project, its strategies and outcomes. The two hypotheses were to
test whether the Project contributes significantly to improvement of maternal health care
service delivery; and whether the management structure of the Project contributed to its
success. Data were gathered from both primary and secondary sources, which include
interviews, questionnaires, Project documents and reports. Data from the six Project
sites, namely, Adamawa, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Plateau States, were tested
and they confirmed that the Project had contributed significantly to maternal health care
service delivery in the states, and that the way the Project was organized and managed
also contributed to its overall success. Findings revealed that strong advocacy and
sensitization as well as involvement of Project host communities in the implementation of
Project can further enhance its success and sustainability. Some of the weaknesses of the
Project include the fact that Rotary allocated personnel, funds and other materials
equally to the Project States, apart from Kano State, without giving due cognizance to the
disparities in physical terrain, size and other peculiarities of each state. This affected the
Project staff, especially the Liaison Field Workers (LFWs), such that they had to put in
extra efforts in order to enhance the positive outcomes of the Project. Recommendations
include, among others, that future projects should consider the peculiarities of each state
while planning a project. Future research should also consider investigation into areas
of finance and personnel management of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) such
as the Rotary International 3-H Project.
Description
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA
Keywords
MATERNAL,, HEALTH,, CARE,, DELIVERY,, DELIVERY,, NIGERIA:, ASSESSMENT,, ROTARY,, INTERNATIONAL’S,, INTERVENTION,, INTERVENTION