By Fatima Mustapha Lawan
In the sun-kissed streets of Rano, Khadija Mohammed’s world was once shattered by the heart-wrenching loss of three precious lives. The 27 years old mother of none, at the time, was trapped in a cycle of recurrent stillbirths and crippling health issues.
‘It was as if fate was conspiring against me,’ she recalls, her voice laced with a mix of pain and resilience. But everything changed when her husband took her to a private hospital, where a compassionate consultant whispered words of hope, childbirth spacing.
With the gentle guidance of the MS Ladies, Khadija’s husband finally understood the importance of giving her body time to heal.
The transformation has been nothing short of miraculous. Khadija’s health has bloomed, and her smile has returned, radiant as the morning sun. ‘People can’t stop admiring how I’ve changed,’ she beams, her eyes sparkling with a new found confidence. The secret to her transformation? Family planning services that saved her life.
The Battle Against Maternal Mortality in Kano
In the conservative heart of Northern Nigeria, a silent revolution was brewing. For generations, family planning had been a whispered secret, a taboo topic shrouded in cultural and religious mystery.
But in Rano, Kano, a quiet transformation was taking root. It began with a gentle breeze of change, as Islamic leaders, community elders, and respected majalisa forums came together to break down barriers and challenge age old norms.
Educated on the importance of sexual reproductive health and rights in a way that honored their traditions, they became the catalysts for a new era. Women and families began to see the value in planning their futures, and a ripple effect of empowerment spread through the community. Lives were transformed, one conversation at a time, as Rano Local Government emerged as a beacon of hope and progress in a region where change was once deemed impossible.
Rate of Maternal Health Crisis In Nigeria
In Kano State, a silent crisis has been unfolding for years. With one of the largest populations in Nigeria, the State’s maternal health challenges are staggering. For many women, giving birth is a gamble with their lives. Only 3 out of every 10 women deliver in a hospital, while the rest brave the uncertainty of home births or traditional birth attendants.
The risks are real, every mother faces the threat of eclampsia, obstructed labor, anemia, and bleeding. These complications can strike without warning, and for some women, the consequences are devastating. But there are those who refuse to give up.
However, Sexual Reproductive Health consultants work tirelessly to counsel women on the importance of childbirth spacing, aiming to reduce the risks and improve maternal and child health. Imagine a city where nearly 1,000 new lives are born every day, and with them, significant challenges for families and healthcare systems.
Unfortunately, this is the reality in Kano, where the high fertility rate of 6.8 children per woman is putting immense pressure on resources.
The maternal mortality rate is alarmingly high, with about 1 in 100 mothers facing the risk of losing their life in childbirth. Child mortality rates are also concerning, with roughly 1 in 10 children not surviving their early years. Skilled healthcare professionals attend only about 4 in 10 births, leaving many women and children without the care they need.
Furthermore, family planning services are out of reach for many, with only about 1 in 10 young women having access to modern contraception.
Solution-Driven: Transforming Healthcare with MS Ladies’ Intervention
The MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices’ SRH and SRHR intervention in Rano Local Government, Kano, has successfully established MS Ladies’ presence in the area, which has an estimated population of 243,900 as of 2022, according to the National Population Commission of Nigeria.
Notably, the female population was reported to be 72,279 based on the 2006 Census data.
In Rano, the MS Ladies program has been a game-changer for women’s health.
Trained health workers provide essential services like family planning counseling, contraceptive distribution, and implant insertion. Their efforts have paid off, significantly reducing maternal mortality and improving child health.
By educating women about sexual reproductive health and rights, MS Ladies have helped mitigate risks like eclampsia, obstructed labor, and anemia. The program’s approach is tailored to the local culture, using the term “childbirth spacing” to make family planning more relatable.
Through community in-reach and mobilization, MS Ladies have increased acceptance and adoption of family planning.
As Hajiya Ado, an MS Ladies service provider, notes, “At first, many people were hesitant, but after we explained the benefits, they began to understand and appreciate the value of childbirth spacing.”
Underestimating the Power of Hesitation in Adoption
Previously, women faced significant barriers to accessing reproductive health services due to lack of awareness and unethical access.
However, after the intervention, they’ve gained knowledge and can now access services in a respectful and ethical manner. As a result, there’s been a surge in demand, especially during MS Ladies’ in-reach sessions.
Clients are seeking various services, including IUD insertions, implants, and other contraceptive methods, with counseling playing a key role in helping them make informed choices.
The initiative has already reached over 3,890 individuals, with a goal to reach 59,254 women annually, according to MS Lady.
Despite the success, a shortage of commodities is hindering their ability to provide effective services and meet the targeted number of people.
Community Champions for Change
Ummi Sulaiman, a 32-year-old married mother of two, has made a personal decision to limit the number of children she has for now.
With a year gap between her children’s births, she finds that raising them with proper upbringing is a challenging task. In fact, it’s been five years since her last delivery, and they’re not considering another child anytime soon. For now, they’re focusing on letting their children grow a bit more before considering another addition to their family.
Also, Abdullahi Ibrahim Bako, a trader in Dawanau, understands the importance of birth spacing.
With one child and a wife by his side, he believes that careful family planning is crucial in today’s world. “Our population is already large, and it’s essential to plan childbirth carefully,” he says.
Why the Model Works
The model was successfully attributed to the strategic engagement of traditional and religious leaders, whose influence helped foster adoption of the service.
The economic realities of the community also played a significant role in embracing sexual reproductive health services.
Notably, Islamic scholarly knowledge was leveraged to promote childbirth spacing, emphasizing that it’s not prohibited in Islam, but rather prioritizing the mother’s well-being and the child before conceiving another pregnancy.
Closing the Gap for Enhancing Service Effectiveness, The monthly supply of commodities often falls short, lasting barely a week and in some cases, services providers are forced to purchase items from market using their own funds to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
With the targeted population still unmet due to commodity shortages and the number of beneficiaries being less than half of the target, service providers face significant challenges in meeting the community’s needs and reaching their targets, especially with the year almost over.
The persistence of commodity shortages poses a serious threat to the survival of the service.
This story was supported by Nigeria Health Watch, MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices, and the Family Planning News Network (FPNN) through the Solutions Journalism Network’s solutions-focused journalism initiative.