Bauchi NUJ, UNICEF Engage Journalists Issues Affecting Women, Children
Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
In its continued determination to train and retrain its members, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, has, in collaboration with the Bauchi Field Office of the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) trained no fewer than 50 journalists across different media organisations in the state.
They included Corres-pondents Chapel, broadcast, print and online platforms among others in a one-day training programme on maternal and newborn reporting, aimed at addressing it in the state.
The one-day partnership training took place yesterday at the Late Mohammed Abdullahi Conference Hall of the NUJ Bauchi Council Secretariat to improve reporting on health issues affecting women and children.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the state Chairman of NUJ, Umar Sa’idu, expressed gratitude to UNICEF for supporting and bankrolling the initiative to reality.
He emphasised the importance of capacity building for journalists, noting that professionals in all fields, including journalism, require continuous training to stay updated to disseminate effective and timely information to targeted people to be guided.
Umar said: “We appreciate UNICEF’s prompt response to our request for this training, especially on maternal mortality.
“This training will enhance our members’ skills in reporting on health issues, particularly those affecting women and children.”
The chairman disclosed that the training is expected to end with the establishment of a seven-month technical committee to guide journalists in focusing on special areas and producing in-depth reports on maternal and newborn health.
He said that the committee would ensure that journalists apply the knowledge gained from the one-day training to produce high-quality reports that can contribute to reducing maternal mortality in Bauchi State.
However, stakeholders in the Bauchi State’s health sector have expressed concern over rising cases of maternal mortality, calling on the state House of Assembly to fulfill its pledge of coming up with legislation that will prohibit child delivery at home.
Statistics show that Bauchi is among the leading states in the country with the highest maternal deaths, which generated reactions from participants during a recent media dialogue in Bauchi.
The event, organised by the Bauchi State Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, in collaboration with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), drew about 50 journalists from broadcast, print and online platforms.
A Health Officer, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Oluseyi Olosunde, outlined data showing preventable deaths linked to poor access to skilled birth attendants and emphasised the urgent need for reforms to reverse the state’s maternal health status.
Available figures from the National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) indicates that only 31 per cent of women in Bauchi deliver in hospitals, leaving 69 percent exposed to risky and unregulated childbirth practices at home.
The data shows that 57 out of every 100 pregnant women attend antenatal sessions but still resort to home delivery, this, according to experts, illustrates systemic challenges and persistent cultural barriers as well as reducing safe maternal healthcare.
The Speaker of state House of Assembly, Abubakar Sulaiman, had in January this year during a lawmakers’ engagement in Jos, Plateau State, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, and pledged that the Assembly would draft a bill prohibiting home delivery.
Sulaiman also assured the people of stronger legislative oversight to ensure health facilities across the state to provide quality and efficient services to patients, particularly pregnant women and neonates.
