BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BASPHCDA) has clarified its position on child birth spacing as a means of reducing death of women by about 200 percent.
The Agency in a statement by its Information Officer, Ibrahim Sani, said that was the position of the Executive Chairman, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed which was clearly explained was wrongly misinterpreted by some media organisations to connote that 200 women die of abortion in the State.
The statement explained that the context within which Dr Mohammed spoke a media parley was completely and recklessly misquoted thereby giving It explained that Dr Mohammed was particular about the importance of child spacing but was given a different meaning and understanding.
According to Sani; “Dr Rilwanu Mohammed was emphasizing on the importance of child birth spacing which he said if properly applied would reduce the death of women by 200 per cent and avoid the risk of illegal abortions caused by unqualified medical personnel at the expense of getting quick money.
“The Executive Chairman did not attack any community or mentioned any part of the state as being prevalent in high cases of unwanted pregnancy as the media reported”.
The agency therefore debunked reports and advised journalists to always cross-check their facts before going to press.
Meanwhile, a coalition of Katagum Youth Organisations has threatened to sue the Executive Chairman of the State Primary Health Care
Development Agency (BSPHCDA), Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, over media reports that illegal abortions were responsible for mysterious deaths in the area.
The coalition in a statement by its Secretary, Mukhtar Muhammad, demanded and unreserved apology and the immediate withdrawal of the story, saying that it portrayed the community in bad light.
The statement reads in parts; “We read with great dismay a statement purportedly made by the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, published on Saturday, 30 May, 2020, where the Chairman was quoted as saying that the cause of the mysterious deaths in Azare community of Katagum Local Government Area in the northern part of Bauchi state is due to illegal abortions and unplanned pregnancies by both married and unmarried women of childbearing ages, who after becoming pregnant visited quack health practitioners”.
“This statement sounds ridiculous and has corroborated the accusations of the plan by the Bauchi State government to lower the estimation of Katagum zone to achieve their political and sentimental ambitions. We will not accept this and we will respond through both legal and civil action.
“We demand Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, Chairman of the agency to prove the allegation, bring the medical personnel involved to justice or withdraw and apologize over the statement. Otherwise, he will face civil and legal action”.
