To Cut Down Infant Mortality Figure, Anambra Govt Donates Anti-Shock Garments To Hospitals

The Anambra State Government has distributed 120 anti-shock garments to General hospitals and mission-owned health facilities in the state.

Presenting the materials to representatives of the benefiting health facilities at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, the governor’s wife Mrs. Nonye Soludo said that even though Anambra State has done so well in cutting down maternal and infant mortality figures compared with other states in Nigeria, the device is needed to cut down the number to zero.

The procurement of the anti-shock garments is part of the recommendations of Maternal Mortality Review carried out recently to seek avenues to bring down completely the current number of maternal and infant mortality cases in the state.

The review board was headed by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake.

Addressing the beneficiaries, Soludo explained that the present administration in Anambra State is investing heavily in the health sector because of how crucial the sector is to the overall development of the state human resource.

The governor’s wife further asked hospitals that received the devices to put them into good use as the government is keen to achieve least cases of postpartum bleeding in all the health facilities in the state.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike said that the anti-shock garments will prevent cases of postpartum bleeding, noting that 11 per cent of mortality cases occur because of lack of anti-shock garments in health facilities.

He said that the material could be reused for over 144 times, explaining that the target is to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths in the first 48 hours of delivery.

According to the commissioner, plans are already in progress to procure the device for all the primary health care facilities in Anambra State.

An anti-shock garment, according to Wikipedia is a stretchy wrap that stabilizes a woman in shock from postpartum hemorrhage by applying pressure to her lower body and abdomen. This device adds time to seek treatment – and this can save a woman’s life.