About 10% of Cross River women die during child birth

At least 872 pregnant women out of every 100,000 in Cross River die during child birth, an official has said.

Betta Edu, director-general, Cross River primary healthcare development agency, disclosed this in Calabar on Thursday.

She blamed the development on pregnancy-related problems

Edu emphasised the need for family planning vaccines by couples, rather than beliefs in the use of cultural practices by women, especially those domiciled in the rural areas.

“Some women would tell you about salt and water, coca cola and salt, washing immediately after sex, tying of piece of red cloth around the waist region which are all cultural practices that doesn’t work,” she said.

Adenike Esiet, executive director, Action Health Incorporated (AHI), said Sayana Press is an “all in one’’, three-month progestin-only ingest-able contraceptive that can be used by women of productive age.

Esiet added that it was not the first time that the product would be used in sub-Saharan Africa, disclosing that it had been used in Burkina Faso, Niger, Uganda and Senegal.

“It has been very helpful in the reduction of maternal mortality in those countries,’’ she said.

She explained that the product, with a three-year shelve life, could be administered by anyone as long as the person had undergone training.

She advised women to always go for counselling to be able to understand the side effects in case the need arises when they use the first dose.

Esiet disclosed that the programme was billed to run in 10 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).