Media advocacy instituted by The Development Communications (DevComs) Network and The Challenge Initiative (TCI) called on the Kano State government to create a specific budget line for Child Birth Spacing, CBS in order to reduce its high maternal mortality rate.

The DevComs Media Consultant, Mr Iliya Kure made the call during a three-day media advocacy training on childbirth spacing organised by DevComs and TCI, for journalists and social media influencers in the state.

Kure said, "what the state currently has is a Reproductive Health basket budget, which addresses all reproductive health issues, not only Child Birth Spacing. And even at that, the government admitted that there has never been any release of funds to address that budget line in the state.

"So, we are advocating for the creation of a specific budget line for Child Birth spacing. Beyond that, there should also be releases and disbursement for procurement of consumables and commodities, to make services available to the women in the state.

"Commitments of a nation or state to reducing its maternal death burden can only be measured by the number of resources it allocates to maternal health services, including childbirth spacing, a sure way of reducing more than 30% of maternal deaths.

"Nigeria has made commitments of investing a substantial amount of money to CBS at the FP2020 Conference, aimed at reducing maternal deaths. And as a country, we failed to reach our 2018 Contraceptive Prevalent Rate target because of poor funding. States like Kano that contribute substantially to the country's high maternal deaths burden should demonstrate a willingness to end this by proactive measures," Kure said.

Earlier, the TCI State Program Coordinator, Musa Sufi said his organisation is helping Kano state government in prioritising its maternal health spending, recognising how strategic childbirth spacing is to the reduction of maternal deaths

Sufi said if implemented very well, childbirth spacing will address issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs such as poverty, hunger among others.

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Link:https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/03/child-birth-spacing-devcoms-tci-advo...