AN Ofili|OH Okojie
Assessment of the role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health care in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria
University of Benin|University of Benin
background since adoption primary health care phc approach nigeria 1979 government recognized need integrating traditional birth attendants tbas phc system consequently initiated tbas training programmes spite high patronage traditional birth attendants many practices childbirth found adversely affect health mothers study aimed assessing role tbas maternal health oredo local government benin city edostate nigeria methodology tbas identified snowball method within lga consented providing information intervieweradministered questionnaires reproductive health practices results 45 tbas interviewed fortyfour 978 female majority 622 acquired skills apprenticeship relation 89 training services provided tbas ranged antenatal care provided 533 child delivery 978 treatment infertility 600 management threatened abortion 133 circumcision babies 289 preparations used treatment cord stump included methylated spirit used 422 respondents herbal preparations 289 dry heated sand 111 engine oil 67 medications used animal dung flies scarification marks cow urine treat patients could serve sources infection methods risk assessment antenatal care management delivery complications record keeping among tbas found poor infection prevention methods used also found poor half 511 using form preventive measures procedures conclusion study revealed practices tbas safe need improvement holistic training programme including monitoring supervisionkeywords traditional birth attendants role maternal healthjournal community medicine primary health care 2005 171 5560