The findings of a research project has revealed that Zamfara state has the highest stillbirth rate in Nigeria.

The project called Improving Nigeria’s Capacity to Use Data on Registered Stillbirths for Decision making & Planning (SPEED Project) data analysis also showed that majority of reported still birth rates are in the northwestern part of Nigeria, with the highest rate being in Zamfara, Sokoto and Kano.

Principal investigator of the project, Dr Oghome Emembo, made the disclosure Thursday in Abuja during the close out ceremony of the project which is implemented by the International Research Center of Excellence (IRCE) of the Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria (IHVN).

She said the findings is a pointer to the fact that there are clinical management gaps, and socio cultural behavioral factors.

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She said there is a need for intensified behavior change communication, to improve attitude for antenatal care, improved spousal involvement and improved investment in maternal and healthcare services in Zamfara state.

While saying that the speed study did not focus on Ogun state and Osun state which has low rates, Dr Emembo said the research team was looking forward to more investments, collaborations, partnerships, and opportunities to harness the learnings and apply them to Zamfara state and other states that have high stillbirth rates.

The principal investigator also said one of the achievements of the project was getting all policy recommendations approved by the coordinating minister of health and social welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

She said, “The first thing he did was to approve the inclusion of stillbirth data in the quarterly reporting system of data indicators reported to him at the Ministry of Health for work planning and budgeting. “So that was really important to us, because we do not want to close out the speed project without having our subject matter, without our research being circulated reported and used in that system.”

She said there was also the inclusion of stillbirth data among indicators on the dashboard in the minister’s office to ensure that he is also monitoring stillbirth data,as well as the expansion of the ‘helping babies breathe programme’ in Zamfara state, an evidence based programmatic response to the federal ministry of health leadership to prevent stillbirths in Nigeria.

She added that the close out of the speed project is not the end of the goal, but a national call for improved collective consciousness, improved awareness, adding ” improved data reporting are used to prevent stillbirths in Nigeria, and we’re looking forward to reduced preventable stillbirths in Nigeria.”

Dr.Ifiok Ikpe, Head of Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Nyanya General Hospital Abuja said some cultural beliefs appears to fuel still birth rates in the country, and called for more research into the beliefs.

According to the World Health Organization ( WHO) a baby which dies after 28 weeks of pregnancy, but before or during birth, is classified as a stillbirth.