The Faith and Cultural Champions, FCC, Initiative has trained couples in six Local Government Areas of Kaduna State on effective communication, open dialogue and joint decision-making to improve safety in childbirth
The community dialogue and confidence-building session, organized by the Ummulkhairi Foundation under the FCC Project, was held in Panbeguwa town, Kubau LGA, bringing together couples, traditional rulers, religious leaders, health workers and transport union representatives to strengthen communication between husbands and wives, address fears of criticism and promote informed decisions on pregnancy, childbirth, birth spacing and emergency transport planning.
Founder of Ummulkhairi Foundation, Hajiya Maryam Sani, said the initiative was aimed at encouraging pregnant women to register early for antenatal care, deliver in health facilities and receive proper postnatal care.
She explained that regular hospital visits would enable healthcare workers to identify complications early and provide timely interventions to protect the lives of mothers and their babies.
Sani appealed to traditional rulers, commercial motorcycle operators and other transport providers to support pregnant women by ensuring prompt transportation to healthcare facilities during emergencies. She noted that stronger community collaboration would help reduce delays in accessing skilled healthcare services and contribute to reducing maternal and newborn deaths.
The Monitoring and Evaluation, M&E, assistant for Kubau LGA, Muhammad Murtala, described the FCC initiative as a pilot project designed to test community-based approaches to improving maternal and newborn health in Nigeria. He said the project is being implemented in six LGAs across Kaduna State’s three senatorial districts, with the aim of generating lessons that could support wider expansion.
The participating LGAs include Kubau and Zaria in Kaduna North Senatorial District, Jama’a and Kagarko in Kaduna South Senatorial District, and Birnin Gwari and Chikun in Kaduna Central Senatorial District.
Murtala said the project initially recorded low attendance, particularly among men, as many community members expected financial incentives or were occupied with farming and business activities.
He, however, said continuous engagement with traditional and religious leaders had significantly improved participation and encouraged greater involvement of men in the dialogue sessions.
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The M&E assistant cited an increase in antenatal care attendance at one health facility, where the number of pregnant women attending rose from 50 in May to 75 in June, attributing the growth to sustained community mobilization and awareness campaigns. He expressed confidence that lessons from the pilot phase would support the expansion of the initiative to other parts of Kaduna State.
Also speaking, the Social Mobilisation Officer of Ummulkhairi Foundation, Safiya Nuhu, urged residents in the participating LGAs to seek antenatal care and childbirth services at healthcare facilities rather than relying on chemists or patent medicine stores.
She highlighted the importance of routine pregnancy screenings for conditions such as HIV and hepatitis, noting that early detection and treatment could prevent mother-to-child transmission of infections and improve pregnancy outcomes.
Nuhu stressed that deliveries should be handled by skilled birth attendants in recognized health facilities to reduce risks associated with maternal and newborn complications.
The District Head of Panbeguwa, Alhaji Safiyanu Shehu, commended the foundation and its partners for introducing the programme to the community. He described the initiative as timely, saying it would strengthen marital relationships, promote peaceful homes and encourage residents to make better use of healthcare services.
Shehu urged community members to support the programme by ensuring pregnant women attended antenatal clinics, deliver in health facilities and seek immediate medical attention when complications arise.
He also called on religious institutions, traditional leaders and other community stakeholders to continue working together to promote peace, unity and family well-being.
A Community Extension Worker, Hajara Abubakar, said effective communication between couples was essential for building peaceful homes and improving healthcare decisions. She encouraged husbands and wives to discuss family health matters openly, overcome fears of criticism and make joint decisions, adding that both Islam and Christianity promote love, respect and kindness within marriage.
Participants at the dialogue said the sessions had improved their confidence in discussing maternal and family health issues with their spouses, preparing for emergencies and making informed healthcare choices together.
The FCC Project aims to strengthen family communication, promote skilled birth attendance and improve maternal and newborn health outcomes through community engagement, faith-based advocacy and collaboration with traditional and religious leaders across the six participating LGAs.
NAN
