The Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) will soon provide free training for health workers, facilities, institutions and community centers in the country on tackling birth asphyxia.
A statement signed by Dr Biodun Ogungbo, for the association said the training programme is slated for next month. The Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas ( ANPA) which comprises medical and health practitioners working in America has a mission focused on “Healthier Nigeria, Healthier World” and its Maternal Child Health Committee is implementing the Helping Babies Breath program (ANP HBB).
The statement said the training programme would increase the knowledge and ability of persons involved in handling newborns, adding that the association has a goal of training 1,000 providers by 2021.
According to the statement about 29,000 children under the age of five, that is (21 deaths each minute) die every day, mainly from preventable causes such as lack of oxygen at birth or asphyxia.
Birth asphyxia occurs when a baby doesn’t receive enough oxygen before, during or just after birth. It can lead to death and sometimes when the baby survives he or she may suffer from brain damage, seizures or slow to walk. Babies with brain injury due to oxygen deprivation develop cerebral palsy and often do not achieve their full potential.
“HBB teaches the skills of caring for healthy babies and assisting babies that do not breathe on their own after birth. It has now been introduced in over 80 countries with 450,000 birth attendants trained and equipped.
“We would like to teach HBB in all communities leaving a local foot print that has long reaching effect, evidence based, and demonstrated to be effective in similar settings. We also need local champions to continue to teach and monitor birth attendants in the local area for sustainability of the HBB technique,” the statement said.
