My name is Rukayya. I am a 32-year-old housewife with eight children. During my first four deliveries, I did not visit the hospital before or after delivery. The first four deliveries left me dizzy, bleeding heavily, and extremely weak. These usually last for at least two weeks before I recover.

In 2018, I was fortunate to attend a community enlightenment workshop organized by the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) in my community Unguwar Kauye, Gwale Local Government Area, Kano State. Several people spoke on different topics. We learned about a lot of issues pertaining to maternal and child healthcare during the workshop. There was a discussion on how many mothers and babies die daily, and many of those deaths are preventable. I also recall a presentation made on the role of stakeholders in combating the ugly menace of maternal and child mortality. As the session was going on, one of the speakers talked extensively about the causes of maternal and child deaths in northern Nigeria. I realized that the condition I suffered after the birth of my children was Postpartum hemorrhage. We were told that it is a situation where a woman bleeds more than normal after the birth of a baby.

I got home that day thanking God because I could have lost my life in the process of having my first four children. I told my husband everything I learnt from the workshop and pleaded with him to allow me to go to the hospital in subsequent pregnancies. The idea did not appeal to him. Months later, I became pregnant with my fifth child and whenever I talked about going to the hospital, he would say he did not have money. I was scared for my life. I had to talk to my aunt to help me convince him. It was not easy for her, but she succeeded. He gave me some money and I registered and attended antenatal appointments. I had my fifth baby at the hospital. I was well guided throughout my pregnancy and I had a smooth delivery. I was given directions on what to eat, injections, medicines and I did not bleed excessively. No dizziness, no pain, no weakness. The sixth delivery was a set of twin babies. If not for the scanning I did during my antenatal session, I wouldn’t have known that I was having twins. I was even told that having twins can come with complications. It is even possible that their birth would have cost me my life if I had them at home.

This baby I am carrying is currently my last child. I had her at the Primary Health Care Centre in my community for less than N1,000. I will forever be grateful to CHRICED for the awareness they brought to my community which saved my life. Personally, whenever I am opportune to meet any woman who does not go to the hospital, I do my part to enlighten her. To make her understand why she needs to visit the hospital, I even share my story.