Thursday, February 19, 2009

LETTER TO TURAI YAR'ADUA

LETTER TO HER EXCELLENCY FIRST LADY HAJIYA TURAI YAR’ADUA

Your Excellency, I find it necessary to write this short letter to you, in response to the comment you made, as reported by Ruby Rabius of daily trust newspaper of January 18th 2009, concerning the 2009 report of United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), on the state of the world children, which estimated that out of 5.6 million babies born in Nigeria, one million of them die annually before the age of five years. The report also said Nigeria’s national mortality ratio is 800 per 100, 000 live births, resulting in 47, 000 maternal deaths annually, “and indicating that every woman who dies of maternal causes, at least, six newborns die and four babies are still born”. Your Excellency, you categorically argued that the report “is not factual and does not reflect the true situation in the country, and therefore could not be true in the face of numerous interventions by government and other partners to reduce the alarming rate”. Your Excellency, while every Nigerian enjoys the freedom to express his or her opinion on the report, ordinary Nigerians like me are not convinced by your argument and have some comments and suggestions to offer. While I agree with you that Federal government, your self as a first lady, a select few other state governments, and development partners, and in addition, other NGOs across Nigeria, are making efforts towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortality in the country, a lot still needs to be done because most of the government health programs ended up in the cities rather than reaching out to the people at the grass root. Your Excellency, UNICEF’s report should be seen as an opportunity to re double your effort to all part of the country.
Your Excellency, are you aware of the fact that, other studies conducted by other International Humanitarian organizations also support UNICEF’s position? For Example, in 2008, Save the Children, a US-based International organization also assert that one million under-5 children die annually in Nigeria. Your Excellency, with do you respect, if you said you will not accept UNICEF’s report, what about world development indicators that was released by world bank in 2008 which shows that poverty, as its directly linked to maternal and infant mortality, is widely spread in Nigeria, with about 70% of the population living on less than 1 dollar per day? With do you respect Your Excellency, If not of the likes of donor agencies, international NGOs, Individual philanthropists, and numerous other NGOs across Nigeria, the situation would have deteriorated more than what UNICEF reported, and by looking at some past happenings in the ministry of health which led to the resignation of the then minister of health Prof. Adenike Grange, is a clear manifestation of the kind of mismanagement and other corrupt practices that has been going on in the ministry. It is also even more unfortunate to say that the performance of 2008 budget was between 40 – 45%, which is not even up to 50%.
Your Excellency, as a Development worker, and a mother to us all, and at this stage of our national live, we cannot stay dwelling on whether to accept UNICEF’s report or not, the reality is, this things are real we cannot closed our eyes and say they are not. Let us engage UNICEF and many other donor agencies to continue to help change the situation, and we need to use a more holistic collaborative approach on the issue, and it has to be done in all the three tears of government. In doing so, all the three tears should collaborate with the donor agencies, International NGOs, domestic NGOs and various other community based organizations so as to reach people at the grass root. To our wealthy Individuals, I say, its time to look up to people like Bill Gate, who came all the way from USA to make his own contribution purposely to ensure the eradication of polio in Nigeria, and start changing lives. I thank you very much your Excellency for your time, and look forward for answers to my questions. May God continue to guide all of us.

LONG LIVE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

LONG LIVE WOMEN, YOUTH AND CHILDREN

NURA IRO MAAJI
SYAHD, KANO, NIGERIA
08032601697
nuramaaji@gmail.com
www.nuramaaji.blogspot.com

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Perspective on Maternal Mortality

Dear All,

Thank you very much Nura for bringing this up at this crucial time of our existence in Nigeria. You have surely touched on something very dear to my heart!

I am so glad to see that the issue of Maternal Health and Infant Mortality is beginning to be at the forefront of issues initiated, discussed and debated by men and women alike. It is alarming and unfortunate that Nigeria and Northern Nigeria in particular is ranked to be doing woefully in the preservation of the life of our WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

The causes of Maternal Morbidity and Infant Mortality are very clear, and they are simply related to lack of or inadequate access to proper medical care. 92% percent of maternal and infant death is caused by lack of access to medical facilities. Access to medical care does not include a large building infested by cobwebs cockroaches and rodents. It means a well equipped emergency facility with well trained medical personnel, it means a clean building with adequate in patient and out patient facilities, it means ambulance services, it means a hospital/health care center travel of less than 20km within every local Government areas of every state of the Federation, it also means capacity building for Traditional birth attendance, it means Girl Child education and empowerment, it means Primary health care centers within communities. It simply means holistic and sustainable health care intervention in our communities.

We are all in agreement that Govt has a responsibility to provide access to medical care to all its citizens and most specifically to WOMEN AND CHILDREN. It is actually a fundamental Human Right of Nigerians; however this and so many other social responsibilities have been ignored with impunity and total disregard to our Divine RIGHTS. We have come to a time when individuals and communities must work together actively, effectively and sustainably to move this agenda forward by making noise, I believe it is the only way our Government will hear this and all the yearnings of its people. We have no choice but to radicalize our approach to ensure that our Govt and Policy makers give us what we deserve or they continue to cart away our resources to take their families and loved ones out of the country for minor hiccups and rashes(true).

To the Northern Governors, chairmen, Representatives and other policy makers celebrating their weddings and getting ready for overseas childbirth(s), Allah is watching all of you! They should bear in mind that for every child/mother that dies as a result of their disregard to the duties, The Almighty will surely ask them on the day of reckoning! Well most of them rigged and committed all kinds of atrocities to get there anyway so what do we expect?

Nigerians made a lot of noise when we collectively killed the third term agenda in 2005, the world heard us, and it was a determination shared by all alike. Sometimes I wonder if we can implore that kind of fire and determination for all our aspirations to make Nigeria a better place for us and those yet unborn. THE PEOPLE spoke so loud to throw out the third term bid, so why can't the same people do the same this time? Could it be that MH/IM and other social issues are not as serious as third term?(remember the idea of debating term issues is surely about Leadership and Leadership here is about making the lives of all Nigerians better) Is it that issues of Nigerian women and children is unable to raise hell loose?

We must demand an end to this unnecessary waste to human lives. The statistics are unacceptable. In this modern age when countries have long eradicated the menace of MH/IM 100s of years ago and most have considerably reduced its occurrence significantly. Nigeria has the resources, man power (mostly in the Diaspora) and skills to take care of its women and children.

Putting issues of women and children at the fore front of National programs will by no doubt expedite the development of Nigeria, because access to medical care will bring about an improvement to almost all spheres of our daily lives. In giving access to medical care you take care of various other needs in our communities. like good roads, electricity, clean water, education especially that of the girl child, Bringing back home our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora, trained medical personnel and of course a strong and healthy nation.
So Malam Murtala, agreed CORRUPTION has eaten up the very fabric of our existence but we cannot sit back and watch these hyenas continue to disrespect our humanity and making a fool of us. We must all get active in the governance of our Country bearing in mind that we disassociate ourselves with the dirty 'Bull dogs'.
There are several NGOs; pressure groups etc working on different themes all geared towards developing MOTHER NIGERIA, but all there efforts are looking more and more futile. I guess what we have to start doing now is networking effectively, getting together like minds to form a coalition (for lack of a better word) to get down to practical solutions. Enough about Seminars/conferences/round tables/workshops etc. Let’s get down to basics and stop doing grammar.
Get involved in your Local Govt; find out what these Chairmen are doing there. It has to start from down up!
Let me know your thoughts on how to loud this agenda.
Sa'ida Sa'ad
0803 7876939

Thursday, February 12, 2009

BENI LAR VS PENAL CODE OF NORTHERN NIGERIA

BENI LAR V.S PENAL CODE OF NORTHERN NIGERIA

“Our lives begin to end the day we became silent about things that matter”
- Martin Luther King Jnr


In response to the text message sent to daily trust newspaper of January 15, 2009, by a woman from Maiduguri , criticising the statement made by Chairman House committee on Human right Honourable Beni Lar on the interview granted to her by the same newspaper of January 14, 2009. In the interview, Beni Lar was asked: “what do you have to say about wife beaters especially when you here men say I paid her bride price so I can beat her when I feel like?” In her response she said, I quote “I am sure you know a wife is a human being and a woman is as good as any man. I would believe that the problem we have with that is the penal code in northern Nigeria allows wife beating and that is very outdated.” So the woman from Maiduguri has this to say, I quote “Let me correct a very wrong impression making the rounds in Nigeria . Whoever said that the penal code in northern Nigeria allows wife beating is a big liar. Northern laws have respect for women.” It was as a result of this encounter, I find it necessary to make my own input concerning the subject matter so as for all of us to have a clear picture of what Beni Lar means.

As a result of a survey and series of consultations to some learned gentlemen and women, I was made to believe that section 55 of northern Nigeria ’s penal code really allows wife beating, below is an excerpts from the section:

“Wife beating is permitted in so far as it does not amount to grievous injury… Nothing is an offence which does not amount to the infliction of grievous hurt upon any person and which is done by husband for the purpose of correcting his wife, such husband or wife being subjected to any native law or custom in which such correction is recognised as lawful.”
I was also made to believe that penal code came in to being as far back 1958 in an attempt to reconcile English criminal law with Islamic Shari’ah law and also the traditions of the people of northern Nigeria who are predominantly Muslims. From the foregoing, it is very clear to me that many men hide under the provision of section 55 of the penal code, to perpetrate violence against women, there by denying them the opportunity to enjoy their right as contain in the chapter four of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria .

Another interesting thing raise by Beni Lar was that, her self and personalities like Honourable farouk Lawan are currently working on a bill that will help in bringing the perpetrators of violence against women to book, so as for them to face the appropriate penalty. To me, this is a very interesting development and is one of the best things that will ever happen in the Nigeria ’s national assembly. According to Beijing declaration and plat form for action, violence against women “result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.” It has many forms ranging from raping, beating, and any other thing that can cause physical or psychological harm. The must annoying and disturbing thing in Nigeria, is that the perpetrators of this acts are most of the time left unfurnished, as the Secretary General of Women’s Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) observed, she said while reacting to what happen to Ms Rosemary Dzer, a victim of acid bath, that “gender based violence in Nigeria rather than reduced is increasing by the day and with new and hitherto unknown method of attacks.” This is perhaps more than unfortunate and shameful.

In order for us to have a violence free society, we need to have violence against women bill both at the federal and state level, failure to do that our society will eventually decay. I am personally advising the entire members of our law making body (National Assembly) to corporate with Beni Lar and other members who are working on the bills, so as to ensure a successful passage of the bill as soon as it come out, and to also prevent our society from moral decay.


NURA IRO MA’AJI
SYAHD, KANO STATE , NIGERIA
nuramaaji@gmail.com
2348032601697


WOMEN AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA

BETWEEN WOMEN AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA

One of the reasons why democracy is generally believe to be the best form of governance in the world today, is because it carries people along in respective of their gender, ethnicity, and skin color. Ideally and practically, democracy is about Good governance, and good governance is about being responsible, and being responsible is about being accountable to the people for the purpose of bringing about positive societal development. As a system of governance it has also preaches for the accommodation of everybody in the process of bringing positive development.

While some nation states have succeeded in accommodating their people in respective of their gender, to bring about more positive development, others are yet to, because of their inability to answer the call made by democracy as a global system of governance. Beside, Nigeria is also yet to answer the call. This is because as Gender Electoral and Reform Memoranda Committee (GEM), 2008 argued, though women constitute 49% of Nigeria’s population, but they only constitute 9% of the number of persons in the senate, 9.27% of the number in the House of Representatives, 16.6% of the Deputy Governorship positions, 5.45% of the State House of Assembly and 0% of Governorship and Presidential elective officers.

Furthermore, it is very clear from the above mentioned figures that Nigeria’s women have for long been marginalized by men in political process. The question now is, why? In my own opinion, men have succeeded in turning Nigeria ’s political atmosphere to a volatile one, which is characterized by thuggery, assassination, total absent of internal party democracy etc. finally I am convince that a step has already been taken by Gender Electoral and Reform Memoranda Committee (GEM), Coalition for Change (C4C), Women Right Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and other Non-governmental Organizations across Nigeria, to make sure that these imbalances politically did not continue to prevail in Nigeria’s political process, by making submission at Abuja sitting of Nigeria’s Electoral Reform hearing on 24th of June 2008. Secondly, I think government itself has to make sure that the recommendations are been taken into consideration. Besides, I think is time for all of us to stand up and make sure that the voice of Nigerian women are heard in the Nigeria’s decision making process.

Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria

Long live Nigerian Women
Long live Women world over!!!

Nura Iro Maaji
Society for Youth Awareness and Health Development (SYAHD), Kano State, Nigeria
+2348025699001
nuramaaji@gmail.com

EARLY MARRIAGE AND ADOLESCENT GIRL IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

BETWEEN EARLY MARRIAGE AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

Globally, the age at which girls are married is increasing but in some countries like Nigeria, particularly Northern Nigeria is slow because high proportions of girls are married during childhood or adolescent. Generally marriage is a social institution which provides formal union of a man and a woman, by which they become husband and wife. The inauguration of marriage institution depends on people’s own religions, traditions and cultural background, but they are generally regarded as marriage institution and they serve the same purpose among which are: :reproductive purposes, raising children inform of socialization, and also to partake in the political and economic developmental activities of their own societies or communities without discrimination either on Gender bases, religion or even skin color.

Generally, there is no clear specification concerning the age at which a girl should be married. However, at 18years of age, a girl should be married because it has attained the legal age of marriage, but the girl should be allowed to make such decision without any pressure. Legally speaking, any girl married at the age below 18, that marriage can be seen as early marriage. Even at the age of 18/19, I think the girl will not be emotionally and psychologically ready to carry out responsibilities of marriage or parenting when she has children. A survey conducted by population council Nigeria office, on HIV/Aids and early marriage in Northern Nigeria, shows that the percentage of girls, who are married by age 15, is much higher in north than in the south. For example, North West alone has 35.8%, north east has 24.9%, north central has 7.7%, while south west has 0.7%, south-south has 2.4% and south-east has 0.4%.

Furthermore, most of the marriage below of 18years of age in northern Nigeria are forced married, and most of the victims are less educated, they lack opportunities and skills for income generating activities, and above all lack adequate knowledge of reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and STIs issues, and 1/3 of the marriages are polygamous with an average age of 18yrs between husband and wife. The survey also shows that over 50% of the marriages are at an average age of 15years, and some of the risks associated with early marriage comprises of the risk to be HIV positive because of unprotected sex with spouse that are mostly older, maternal, infant mortality and pregnancy problems, susceptibility to health condition such as VVF, RVF, also limited involvement in decision making processes, and limited educational attainment.

Conclusively, I think the only way to avoid all these effects is to delay marriage to a more appropriate age (26years). We should also encourage Adolescent girls’ school attendance and also provide economic opportunities to them in terms of vocational trainings so as for them to be economically independent.

Nura Iro Ma’aji
Society for Youth Awareness and Health Development (SYAHD), Kano State, Nigeria.
nuramaaji2000@yahoo.co.uk
+2348025699001

DIVORCEES AND NORTHERN GOVERNORS IN NIGERIA

DIVORCEES AND NORTHERN GOVERNORS


“Success in marriage does not come merely from finding the right mate, but by being the right mate”.
Barnett R. Barker


Generally, most men do not care about spending time in finding the right mate before getting married, not to even talk about being the right the mate after getting in to the institution, they rather demand and expect more from the institution instead of thinking what the institution will require from them. Revelations from the report written by Hassan A. Karofi in Sunday Trust News paper of December 28, 2008, did not only show the crises bedeviling the institution of marriage in kano state, but also gave us a picture in to the current condition of women divorcees in the state and also the possibility of finding same situation in other part of the northern region. The report argued that, there are about 20,000 women divorcees in kano alone, and 15,000 thousand of them are attending activities of just one association called Voice of Women Divorcees, and this association complain of not getting any support from Kano sate government or even any of the international donor agencies. This is perhaps an unfortunate and disturbing situation.

In 2004, population council Nigeria office, made a survey and reported that about 50 percent of marriages in northern Nigeria are at an average age of 15, and the worst thing is that, these girls have limited educational attainment with no economic empowerment skills. What am saying is that, this situation deserves urgent attention in the whole entire northern states not just kano state. Though, kano state government has stated taking steps towards empowering the divorcees in the state, I am perssonally advising the whole entire northern state governors to make a survey in their various states concerning the rate of divorce and condition upon which divorcees are experiencing.

More Over, am also advising the governors to incorporate Non Governmental Organizations with focus on women’s issues, so as for you to find it easier in empowering the divorcees. Invitations should also be extended to international donor agencies so as for them to make their own input. Programs that will further educate people on issues related to marriage both from religious point of view and any other way through which people can understand the message and Legislations that will check mate the situation should also be put in place.

NURA IRO MAAJI
SYAHD, KANO STATE
nuramaaji@gmail.com
+2348032601697

WOMEN AND HIV/AIDS IN NIGERIA

BETWEEN WOMEN AND HIV/AIDS IN NIGERIA

This issue of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria has remained the most pressing issue of concern over the years, and has attracted the attention of non-governmental organizations domestically and internationally. This is due to the fact that various Nigerian governments have not paid adequate attention toward reversing the epidemic. Historically, studies have shown that the first two HIV cases in Nigeria were identified in 1985 and were reported at an international AIDS conference in 1986. Since then, no effort has been made by government to assess HIV situation in the country until in 1991 when the federal ministry of health made their first attempt to assess the situation, the result showed that 1.8 percent were infected with HIV, and subsequent surveillance report revealed that during the 1990s, the HIV prevalence rose from 3.8 percent in 1993 to 4.5 percent in 1998.

However, hope was restored in 1999 when President Olusegun Obasanjo established National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), and in 2001, he set up HIV Emergency Plan (HEAP). Despite these positive intentions, in 2006, it was estimated that just 7 percent infected women and men were receiving antiretroviral therapy and only 0.2 percent of pregnant women were receiving treatment to reduce the risk of mother to child transmission of HIV. In 2005, studies showed that 240,000 children were living with HIV most of whom became infected from their mothers. Another study also showed that 80 percent of HIV infections in Nigeria are transmitted through heterosexual sex and this due to transfusions account for up to 10 percent of new infections in Nigeria. Moreover, women are particularly affected with the epidemic in Nigeria. In 2006 for example, UNAIDS estimated that women accounted for 6.15 percent of adults aged 15 and above living with HIV. All these in my own opinion should be attributed to the poor health care system we have in Nigeria, which is also characterized by corruption and mismanagement. This is because large parts if the country lack even basic health care provision making it difficult to establish adequate HIV testing services.
Finally, I think if the dream of the present administration is to make Nigeria one of the twentieth most industrialized economies of the world by the year 2020, the problems militating against health care system in Nigeria must be dealt with in its entirety. Secondly, since women suffer most without their consent, they should be allowed to participate in the decision making process so as to find the best way out.

NURA IRO MA’AJI
SOCIETY FOR YOUTH AWARENESS AND HEALTH DEVELOPMENT (SYAHD) KANO STATE, NIGERIA
nuramaaji2000@yahoo.co.uk
+2348025699001

BETWEEN RAPE AND WOMEN'S SEXUAL RIGHT IN NIGERIA


BETWEEN RAPE AND WOMEN’S SEXUAL RIGHTS IN NIGERIA

The issue of rape in Nigeria has attracted the attention of not only human right activists, feminists from Non-governmental organization here in Nigeria, but also from international Non-governmental organizations. This is due to the fact that, there are so many incidence and cases of rape occurring on almost daily basis and actions are yet to be taken to normalize the situation. Rape is a form of Gender Base Violence (GBV) against women, according to the Beijin declaration and plat form for action, it defines violence against women as “any act of GBV that result in or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women [and Girls], including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. Among the forms of sexual violence against women, rape is the most prevalent and disturbing in Nigeria.

Although, there is no accurate data which will exactly tell us the rate of rape cases and incidence occurring in daily or annual bases in the country. Though, some Nigerian NGOs with the assistance of international NGOs have conducted researches with the aim of knowing the rate of rape cases and incidence that is occurring in the country and be able to educate the society of its effect in order to reduce it. For example, CLEEN Foundation, an NGO which promote public safety, security and justice, in a nation wide survey undertaken in 2005, found out that only 18.1% - lees than one in five – of some 10,000 respondents who had been raped had reported to the police. Also, CLEEN Foundation’s figures shows that, in 1999 there were 2,241 cases of rape and indecent assault. In 2000, 1,500 cases were reported; in 2001, 2,284; in 2002, 2,084; in 2003, 2,250; in 2004, 1,626; and in 2005 1,835 cases were all reported.

Furthermore, the punch newspaper, in 2005 reported that only one in fifty (50) rape cases were actually reported. This attitude of not reporting rape cases in Nigeria today, is assuming different dimension. Part of the reason is that, it carries heavy social stigma, some times due to fear of rejection by family members and communities, and the fact that victims are unwilling to report to the police because they themselves are perpetrators. People have to understand that rape causes a lot of damage to women, it increase their chances of getting HIV/AIDS and STIs. It also causes mental disorder and feeling of low self esteem, it also affects their academic performance.

Moreover, people have to understand that Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and according to CEDAW, rape violate the principles of equality of right and respect for human dignity, and also violate women’s sexual right. Women, as part of their sexual rights, enjoy the right not to be pressured into sexual activity, the right to make autonomous life within one’s context of social ethics and values, to have sexual relations that are consensual and live a life that is free of violence, discrimination and without hindrance to relationships based on equality, respect and justice. So rape in its entire entirety is a crime and it violates women’s sexual rights.

Conclusively there for, women and Girls should not be taken for granted, they should not be raped and they should not be relegated to all kinds of treatment, rather should be allowed to enjoy equal rights and opportunities as men enjoy.



NURA IRO MA’AJI,
SYAHD, KANO STATE, NIGERIA
nuramaaji@gmail.com

MATERNAL MORTALITY AND NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT

MATERNAL MORTALITY AND NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT

“We have not placed the issue of women and children at the center of our heart. There is no attention given to them despite the fact that they are asset to us. With out their good health, we don’t have future. The issues of mother and child are linked and we are failing to scale up high impact contribution that can save lives of mothers and children.”
- Dr. Tunde Adegboyega
Consultant WHO

It was on the evening of Sunday 8th of January 2009, while reading some past newspapers; I came across a report on maternal mortality on thisday newspaper of July 7th 2008, written by Taiwo Olawole. The report came with frightening and very disturbing figures concerning the rate of maternal death in the country which made me to voice out my mind concerning the subject matter and also offer some advises to both the state and federal government. The report revealed that Nigeria is the second highest in the world in terms of maternal death with 59,000, and India is occupying the first position with 117,000 deaths annually. The reporter went on to argue that Nigeria shouldn’t supposed to be ranked second instead should be ranked first, because he argued that the whole of Nigeria’s population constitute only 10% of India’s population. He further argued and I quote “India actually improved between 2000 and 2005. In 2000, India’s maternal deaths were 136,000. It was this figure that dropped to 117,000 in 2005. On the other hand, Nigeria’s 37,000 deaths in 2000 rose to 59,000 in 2005! So, place within the right context, Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate is perhaps the most dangerously high in the world.” Looking at the argument of the reporter, I think he is absolutely right and Nigeria should be ranked first not second.
After reading the report, the questions that come to my mind were: where are the policy makers? Did they really know what is happening? How about the promises they made while campaigning I mean the seven point agenda? Or did any of their relatives fall within the people that are dying annually? My answer to these questions are: they knew what is happening, only though, they have forgotten all the promises they made while campaigning, and perhaps I don’t think their relatives are dying of maternal problems. Though the report said states like Kano has already taken a step and went on to argue that “Interestingly, the Kano state free antenatal care which is now a model for some states, is not affecting the quality of services at government Hospitals.” The reporter also said “after the seemingly success story of kano state in reducing maternal and child mortality, some states have come to emulate the concept.” States like Nassarawa, Borno, Enugu, Rivers, Ebonyi and recently Kaduna have introduced various degrees of free medical facilities for pregnant women as well as for children which is a step on a right direction, even though there are complains of inadequate medical facilities, thanks to their effort and hope they will continue to do more so as to ensure that their efforts are sustained. I am also calling the attention of other states to copy from their brothers because the situation is very disturbing and needs urgent attention. Now that states has started making impact by providing antenatal care, Federal government should also do the same and provide free medical treatment for pregnant women and children, and to also collaborate with states, civil society organizations, donor agencies, so as to reversed the trend. Failure to do that will instead worsen the situation. For me, neglecting women and children is the greatest mistake any society can make, because they are our future and we have no option other than to take good care of them, and I am sure you knew that. Please am appealing to you lets all stand up and do some thing, remember united we stand divided we fall.

NURA IRO MA’AJI
SYAHD, KANO STATE, NIGERIA
nuramaaji@gmail.com
2348032601697