Religious and community leaders in Kano have been urged to challenge cultural and religious beliefs, family decisions and other barriers that delay pregnant women from accessing lifesaving healthcare.
For many women in Kano, the risks associated with childbirth begin long before labour.
These barriers were highlighted at a two-day interfaith workshop in Kano, where religious leaders, health professionals, government officials and development partners examined how communities can help reduce maternal deaths.
The workshop, titled “Save Lives: An Interfaith Workshop on Reducing Maternal Mortality”, was organised under the Advocacy and Implementation of Maternal, Newborn, Child Nutrition and Health (AIM-MNCNH) project and held on Monday in Kano State.
Participants examined the “three delays” associated with maternal deaths and findings from community dialogues in Gaya Local Government Area of Kano State.
The discussions showed that access to care is often determined by more than the availability of health facilities. Decisions by husbands and older family members, transport difficulties and beliefs about childbirth can all determine whether a woman receives timely care.
Speaking on the role of religious leaders, Adeniyi Ogunbanwo, Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kano State, said they could play a significant role because of the trust communities place in them.
Mr Ogunbanwo said churches could use sermons, weddings, naming ceremonies and other gatherings to educate families about maternal health.
“Religious leaders, in terms of being realistic, people listen to us. So, we have a lot to play, and mostly by speaking,” he said.
He said churches could also support women who struggle to pay medical bills, noting that some churches have maternity wards.
However, Mr Ogunbanwo warned that religious beliefs should not be used to discourage women from seeking professional medical care.
He said some women interpret biblical references to childbirth as meaning they should be able to deliver without medical assistance.
According to him, CAN had been engaging the Kano State Primary Healthcare Board and other government structures on maternal health and would develop a sermon guide for churches across the state.
Beyond religious teachings, the discussions also highlighted the influence of family members on women’s decisions about seeking care.
Speaking on the findings from community engagements, Maryam Danjuma, Community Engagement Officer with Pathfinder International, said many pregnant women were not the final decision-makers when it came to seeking antenatal or delivery care.
Ms Danjuma said women often depended on their husbands, while husbands could themselves be influenced by mothers-in-law and older women in their communities.
She said some older women who had delivered at home in the past sometimes considered women who preferred health facilities to be lazy.
Ms Danjuma recalled a case discussed during a town-hall meeting in which a woman died after her relatives opposed her husband’s decision to take her to a health facility.
She also recalled a contrasting case in which a husband insisted that his wife register for antenatal care despite her initial refusal.
Speaking further on the barriers identified during the community dialogue, Ms Danjuma said distance and transportation costs compounded the problem, particularly for women living in remote communities.
She said some communities were far from health facilities and lacked affordable transport.
She also raised concerns about “ruwan naƙuda”, a substance some women take during labour, sometimes mixed with herbs or pills.
According to her, the practice is deeply rooted in some communities and can cause complications.
Ms Danjuma said the challenges require community actors to work together rather than treating religious leaders as the only solution.
She said Pathfinder was therefore engaging men, health workers, traditional birth attendants and other influential community members.
Speaking on the role of traditional birth attendants, she said they could be part of the solution by referring women to health facilities, particularly when complications arise.
She added that some community meetings were also held inside health facilities to familiarise women with the environment and address concerns about privacy and treatment.
The need to address misconceptions about medical care was also emphasised by Muhammad Gwagwarwa, Chairman of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Kano State.
Mr Gwagwarwa said religious leaders had a responsibility to challenge beliefs that discourage women from seeking medical care.
He said the organisation was invited to bring Islamic scholars together to discuss ways of reducing maternal deaths during and after childbirth.
