Maternal mortality rate during childbirth at the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, has reduced from an alarming level in 2001 to about one percent since the intervention of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) scheme in Jigawa State, according to a 2007 report.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the centre, Dr. Bashir Umar, disclosed this to newsmen during a briefing on his two terms tenure as medical director, which elapses at the end of this month.

He explained that the centre had received N70 million under the scheme, which had enabled the hospital build an accident and emergency ward that comprises a maternity complex. He said the centre also equipped its theatres with necessary machines and utensils with the money.

The centre was converted and upgraded from a general hospital to Federal Medical Centre in May 2001. The report showed that its antenatal clinic received a total attendance of 115,304 between 2000 and 2007, with 11,088 deliveries, including 2,062 Caesarian Section.

According to the report, the centre received 579 deliveries out of which it recorded 10 maternal deaths in 2000. In 2002, it recorded eight maternal deaths, in 2005 recorded two, in 2006, it recorded one death, and in 2007, the centre undertook 2,218 deliveries and recorded one maternal death out of the number.

Umar said the positive impact of MDG intervention was as a result of the efforts of the management of the centre, which built the morale of the staff and provided an enabling environment for them to work around the clock.

Some of the policies introduced by the management in approaching cases of road accident and emergency is the treatment of patients for between eight and forty eight hours before asking the victims or their relatives to pay any medical bills, and effective blood bank system.

The CMD said during this eight-year tenure, the centre experienced drastic changes in term of manpower development. According to him, the centre, which in 2000 had only nine doctors, now has 70 doctors; it had no specialist consultant by 2000, but it now has 10, and the centre has over 130 nurses now as against 17 in 2000.

In the area of staff welfare, Umar said the centre had maintained regular and prompt payment of salaries and other entitlements and had encouraged staff to further their education.

He said the centre had not experienced any industrial action by staff since his eight years tenure.