CHISOM OKEREKE :REALITY OF MATERNAL MORTALITY

I think I should start by stating categorically that I am not a physician, as in I am not a Doctor, a medical Doctor. And I am neither a "Doctor-fanatic"  nor do I dislike them or their profession. With that stated, I can now begin.

A young lady was laid to rest today. She lost her life trying to deliver her third child. She has been described as an intelligent, erudite, young lady whose demise is a huge loss to everyone who has ever crossed her path. My deepest condolences, I pray God gives her family the fortitude to bear her painful loss.

A young lady dying was not the ring of the news, what was is that she died in the hands of "callous medical praticitioners" who in their characteristic neglience literally folded their arms and watched the young lady die. Her friends are calling out that the hospital where the young lady was (not) attended to be sued, alongside the Doctor(s) that were on duty. It is good that the story I read acknowledged that the young lady had delivered her two children successfully in the same hospital. Unfortunately, the glory of those successful deliveries were not basked in the name of the hospital but everyone is raining fire and brimstone  at this unfortunate incident.

The truth is that child birth has always been a very dangerous undertaken. Modern women have had the best of childbirth experiences and best statistics since the world began. Maternal mortality was as high as 1% at some time, ie of every 100 pregnant women, one would die in the course of the pregnancy. Thankfully, those days are gone, but not completely gone as there are still records of maternal deaths world over.

UNFPA estimated that 289,000 women died of pregnancy or child birth related causes in 2013. Unfortunately, this is more than statistics as the women that built up that figure are peoples wives, mothers, children, sisters, friends, colleagues. Sadly , Chisom has joined in.

Advances in medicine and obstetrics and gynecology care contributed in no little measure to the drop of maternal mortality rates. But even with the best care, casulities are still recorded. Maybe Chisom was one of such casulities. I have read narrations of how the team in the hospital left the lady unattended. I was not there, but I know the tale of patients and patient-relatives have a way of coming across as though there were a billion things the medical personnel could have done, but somehow in the sheer wickedness of their hearts, conveniently chose not to do them.

A hastag is trending #savethenextvictim#. There would have to be many "next victims" to save as currently, statistics hold that 830 women die from pregnancy or child birth related causes everyday. Though improvished countries record a greater percentage, far advanced countries still hold some percentage. United Kingdom recorded 8.7% in the global rank of maternal mortality ration per 100,000 live births, while the U. S. recorded 16.7%,Italy ranked the lowest(best) with 3.9%. It may be shocking to know that according to WHO, U. S. has a higher maternal mortality rate than Iran, Libya and Turkey.

A report published by the Journal Obstetrics and Gynecology found that from 2000 to 2014, the maternal mortality rate for 48 states in U. S. increased to 27 from 19 deaths per 100,000.This should make us understand that maternal mortality is a global occurrence. So no country has literally kept all "their mummies alive". It is not about some "incompetent" Doctor that allowed Chisom to die.

In Nigeria, some parents choose to deliver their babies abroad. The above statistics should prove that there is nowhere to run. We all heard the unfortunate case of our own superstar Kefee who collapsed on her way to the U. S. and even in the best hands, she did not pull through. So oversea births still record casualties.

Reports say that most of these pregnancy related deaths are preventable. That noted, but the grief of casulities should not make us forget all other incidents that were successfully prevented.

I read somewhere that one factor that has contributed to global population surge is  reduced maternal mortality. And the reduction was only achieved because of advances in medicine. Scientists have not tire in their quest to improve the quality of life through better health care, prevention and treatment. Even in Nigeria, medicine has been saving our lives. Let us not begin to scream foul at the record of casualties who would have still lost their lives otherwise.

With the gloomy statistics, we must keep in mind that thousands of babies are born everyday. Our very existence prove that not all pregnancies end up in a sad tale.

Rest in peace Chisom Okereke. Adieu.