By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has recorded a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to curb maternal and newborn deaths.
This follows the introduction of a bill seeking to prohibit unsafe childbirth practices and unregulated medical procedures across the state.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y. Suleiman, on Wednesday presented the bill during plenary, where it received unanimous support from lawmakers and scaled second reading—signaling a decisive legislative response to a long-standing public health concern.
The proposed legislation is aimed at addressing the high rate of home deliveries, which health experts have consistently linked to preventable complications such as hemorrhage, sepsis, and obstructed labour.
Available data from the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance Review indicates that a significant number of births in Bauchi occur outside health facilities without skilled supervision, contributing to alarming mortality figures among women and newborns.
Leading the debate, the Speaker emphasized that the bill seeks to outlaw unregistered home deliveries and impose sanctions on unsafe practices that endanger lives. It also provides for stricter regulation of blood transfusion services, prohibiting such procedures outside approved health facilities and empowering relevant authorities to shut down illegal operations.
The development has been widely welcomed by health stakeholders, particularly coming on the heels of sustained media advocacy and capacity-building efforts supported by partners, including UNICEF and the Nigeria Union of Journalists. Observers say the bill represents a significant step toward strengthening the state’s healthcare system and fulfilling earlier commitments by the Assembly leadership.
If passed into law and effectively implemented, it is expected to promote safe childbirth practices and significantly reduce preventable maternal and neonatal deaths across Bauchi State.
