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A 14-year old girl in Katsina, Nigeria, was divorced by her husband after a male doctor attended to her during childbirth. The teenage mother was rushed to the hospital but there were no female doctors available. This incident has sparked reactions from activists and medical experts, highlighting the dangers of teenage marriage and the lack of healthcare resources in Northern Nigeria. At a healthcare conference in Abuja, activists called for equity in the recruitment and deployment of medical personnel to rural areas. They emphasized the need for increased production of health workers to meet the country’s healthcare needs.
In Katsina, a state in the North Western part of Nigeria, a 14-year old lady (name withheld), who recently gave birth amidst childbirth complications, is facing divorce after her husband discovered that a male doctor attended to her during labor.
The husband of the 14-year old housewife was furious that a male medical practitioner assisted her during childbirth and decided to divorce her.
When complications arose, the teenage mother was brought to the hospital, but there were no female medical practitioners available. The only doctor present was male, so he attended to her.
The plight of this teenage mother has garnered attention from experienced activists and medical experts within and beyond Nigeria, highlighting the dangers of teenage marriage, which is reportedly common in Northern Nigeria.
Coincidentally, the Human Resources for Health Production Dialogue took place in Abuja on Thursday, providing a platform for concerned activists and professionals to express their dissatisfaction with the incident and make important appeals.
The event aimed to revolutionize Nigeria’s healthcare system and involved stakeholders advocating for accountability and prudence in healthcare training institutions.
One of the keynote speakers at the event, Dr. Fatima Adamu, Executive Director of Nana Women and Girls Empowerment Initiative, appealed to governments, especially state governments, to ensure equitable recruitment and deployment of medical personnel in rural communities.
Dr. Adamu emphasized that the number of healthcare practitioners in Nigeria is insufficient to adequately provide healthcare services, especially in rural areas.
With over 15 years of experience in advocating for increased production of nurses and midwives, Dr. Adamu used the platform to reiterate her calls, stressing that governments, particularly state governments, need to take responsibility for producing their own health workers.
She further highlighted a specific case, stating, “A 14-year old Fulani girl in Katsina State delivered a baby and had difficulty with delivery. The husband divorced her because she was attended by a man. This young girl was divorced simply because a man assisted her during childbirth,” she lamented.
Dr. Adamu also highlighted the shortage of health workers compared to the country’s needs. Despite production efforts, the number of healthcare workers falls short of the demand. The latest available data supports this observation.
In addition, Mr. Paul McDermott, the Director of USAID/Nigeria HPN Office, represented by Mieko Mickay, recognized the important role of students and tutors in fostering positive behaviors that promote a culture of collaborative learning.
The Country Director of USAID Health Workforce Management, Dr. Andy Omoluabi, also spoke at the event, emphasizing the critical role of human resources for health in strengthening the healthcare system, particularly primary healthcare workers such as nurses, midwives, and community health extension workers.
Despite the significance of these healthcare workers, Nigeria faces challenges in producing enough skilled personnel, especially at the primary healthcare level. Some of the identified challenges include shortages of qualified tutors and trainers, inadequate learning environments, and difficulties in adapting and delivering training curricula despite collaborative efforts with regulatory bodies.
