By Suzan Edeh

Bauchi—Targeted States High Impact, TSHIP, a USAID sponsored project, has saved the lives of more than 38,000 women in Bauchi State through its health care project in the last five years.

This was disclosed by the TSHIP Chief of Party, Dr Nosa Orobator, while speaking with newsmen at the end of Project Dissemination meeting held at Zaranda hotel on Tuesday.

USAID/TSHIP Project was a 5 year project launched in Bauchi and Sokoto states in 2010 to provide quality health services to the citizens, especially women and children.

The project served as technical lead on state policies on human resources for health, ward minimum health care packages, pre-service education, state midwifery and health management information systems.

USAID/TSHIP helped the states develop their five-year strategic health plans, which are the framework for comprehensive health care delivery and it was supported by Bauchi State government to set up the Drugs and Medical Consumables Management Agency, DMMA.

Dr Orobaton also disclosed that maternal mortality ration in the North East stood at 43 out of every 100,000 life birth.

He said: “What we have observed in the work we have done through USAID/TSHIP, specifically in relation to use of misoprostol which is three tablets intervention that is ingested by the mother after the baby has been delivered. There is dramatic reducation in maternal mortality in Bauchi State as a result.

“In order for maternal mortality to really come down in Bauchi at the minimum, we must have coverage that approximate 80 percent for the tablet and we also need to encourage mothers to work towards having babies in the health facility. ‘’These are the steps that need to be taken. Misoprostol has started very well, it needs to go higher to achieve its target impact.’’