Devastating Story Of a Woman Who Almost Lost Her Life During Childbirth

Devastating Story of Woman Who Almost Lost Her Life During Childbirth

By Hussaini Ibrahim Kafi

A Nigerian-American, Prof. Hadiza Galadanchi, an indigenous of Kano State has lamented the high rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria among young women.  

Prof. Galadanchi, who doubles as the Director Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy, Bayero University, Kano, dropped the hint at a stage sensitization in health education in the United States of America (USA).

She stressed that the situation is worrisome in Nigeria as some women she saw wished for the death of their children to save them from the circle of pain and poverty they had to endure themselves.

Highlighting the trauma, she narrated a horrific story of her first cousin who almost died of mortality during her fourth pregnancy.

She said: “She came to me when her blood already spiked.  My colleagues and I decided to seduce her for normal labour and went into it, normal practice. 

“I went back to my work in the hospital – caring for other patients. After a while, I walked into the labour room, where I left my cousin to check on her. What I saw…!! it’ll never leave me. Blood was flowing out of her like a tap. I quickly put up my hands-globs and began treating her using all the drugs I had trying to stop the bleeding but it wasn’t working. 

“She was looking upper to me begging me to look after her babies after her death. I tried with my colleagues to help her. We gave her a pack of blood. I sat on her side looking at her every stir until I knew she had made it. 

The Professor disclosed that almost 14 million women experience it every year. And approximately 17,000 died from it

She noted that the incident inspired her and changed her life entirely. She consequently realized she could save millions of people through her work, adding, that compelled her to focus her research on areas that affect the lives of women.