Polaris Bank in partnership with Societal Healthcare Organisation  has organised a training for community midwives and health extension workers in Northern Nigeria themed ‘Life saving skills’.

It said in a statement that the three-day intensive training was aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity associated with major causes of maternal and neonatal death in the Nigeria.

In his opening remarks, Polaris Bank’s Group Head, North-West Group II, Mr Ahmed Badru, said that the bank’s intervention was designed to combat the incidence of maternal deaths in Northern Nigeria.

There was an estimated statistic of 546 maternal deaths in Northern Nigeria out of reported 100,000 cases in sub-Saharan Africa, he said.

“We will continue to work in partnership with relevant organisations like SHO to improve maternal health so that we can contribute our quota to reducing deaths that occur as a result of complications of pregnancy or childbirth,” he added.

The Executive Secretary, Societal Healthcare Organization, Dr. Mahmoud Dankadai, expressed gratitude to Polaris Bank for partnering with the organisation to improve the health and wellbeing of women and children in Nigeria.

He appreciated the bank for providing medical consumables comprising Polaris Bank branded bags; umbilical cord scissors; latex sterile gloves; delivery mats; surgical blades; cord clamps; povidone iodine; baby oil; hand sanitizers and facemasks in addition to the intensive training availed the participants.

The Group Head, who represented Polaris Bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Offucer, Mr Innocent Ike, pledged the bank’s commitment to improved maternal health in Nigeria.