Nigeria: Reproductive health mobilisers speak on their community engagement

Health care services are critical for expectant mothers and nursing mothers. Access to health facilities has remained a challenge for people affected by armed conflict, particularly for displaced persons, who oftentimes resort to giving birth at home with the help of local midwives known in Hausa as Ungozoma.

In order to ensure proper care for expectant women and nursing mothers, the ICRC has trained local midwives to identify, mobilize and refer women to facilities where they can access healthcare. These referrals allow for proper antenatal care, safer deliveries and routine immunization of babies. This has seen enhanced health of both mothers and infants. We have been supporting health centres in Yola since 2015.

Adama Muhammadu, one of the trained reproductive health workers from Anguwan Fulani in Rumde Kila, said they go round their community on a weekly basis to identify pregnant women in order to encourage them to register for antenatal care at the health centre.

"More women are going to the health centre for antenatal care as they are enlightened and encouraged to register stating that these services are free of charge so the financial burden that women were avoiding is ruled out.

-Hadiza Hamman Dikko, a health mobiliser

"Use of local herbs for treatment and other traditional practices that sometimes leads to complications has reduced as women are now being attended to at the health facility," noted Lilian Rueben from the Malkohi settlement.

Reuben further added that the women's husbands are also playing a key role in encouraging the women to access health facilities, unlike before when the practice was considered a financial burden.

In collaboration with the Primary Health Care Agency, we are providing access to antenatal care for women living in camps and communities in Yola, Adamawa state.