By Florence Onuegbu
Lagos – The Society for Family Health (SFH) on Tuesday introduced “Mistol’’, a medication for the prevention and treatment of hemorrhage in women as a result of childbirth.
The SFH’s Board President, Prof. Shima Gyoh, during the launch of the drug in Lagos, said that Mistol was the society’s brand of “Misoprostol”, a medication used in the management of Post-Partum Hemorrhage (PPH).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that hemorrhage or bleeding is the name used to describe blood loss.
It can be blood loss inside the body, which is called internal bleeding or blood loss outside of the body, which is called external bleeding.
Post-Partum Hemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal mortality and all women who carry a pregnancy beyond 20 weeks of gestation are at risk of PPH.
Gyoh said the society deemed it necessary to have its brand of Misoprostol, in order to ensure that women live healthier lives after childbirth.
“One of the greatest problems in Nigeria is maternal mortality and it can be as a result of hemorrhage.
“Babies are locked in the womb or uterus for nine months and after birth, if the uterus does not contract very well, then it needs help, to avoid hemorrhage.
“The discovery of the drug called Mistroprostol had helped a lot; hence, SFH has come up with Mistol, to further improve the lives of women.
“ Mistol tablet is indicated for the prevention and treatment of PPH, pre-qualified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and duly registered by NAFDAC.
“It is a high quality product and therefore, recommended for use by government, service providers and all who need it,’’ he said.
Also, the SFH’s Managing Director, Bright Ekweremadu said that globally, WHO estimated that hemorrhage and unsafe abortions caused 24 per cent and 13 per cent of maternity mortality, respectively.
Ekweremadu said that PPH was the leading cause of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is one of six countries in the world that when combined, account for over 49 per cent of global maternity mortality.
“Nigeria’s current maternity mortality ratio is 560 out of every 100,000 live births, with over 40,000 women dying annually from pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications.
“In Nigeria also, 11 per cent of maternal deaths are due to unsafe abortions and an estimated 142,000 women are treated annually for abortion related complications.
“Women need post-abortion care because one in five pregnancies is spontaneously miscarried while another 22 per cent are induced abortions,’’ he said.
According to him, SFH has as its mission to empower Nigerians, particularly the poor and vulnerable, to lead healthier lives.
He said that the society hoped to deliver its mission through implementing donor funded interventions on maternal and child health.
“To complement these interventions and make it effective, SFH currently redistributed this life saving commodity, “Misoprostol tablet’’, nationwide and therefore strategised to launch its own brand called Mistol.
“The objective of the launch of Mistol is to officially inform Nigerian healthcare providers and partners about this new product and to sustain its brand awareness, after roll out of sales,” Ekweremadu said.