Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has revealed that at least 2, 000 women lose their lives annually in the state due to pregnancy-related issues.

He said this during the opening of a five-day Stakeholders Monitoring and Evaluation Workshop on Strengthening Health Outcome for Women and Children Project, on Monday, in Sokoto.

Governor Tambuwal was represented at the event by the state’s Commissioner of Health, Balarabe Kakale.

He said that the government intends to recruit 2,240 community health workers, as part of efforts to address the problem.

The effort would enhance access to health care services at the grassroots thereby reducing the high rate of maternal and child mortality in the state.

“No fewer than 150 to 200 children in every 1000 under-five children in the state may not live to see their fifth birthdays,” the governor added.

“The state would partner with the Plan International, Nigeria, the organizers of the workshop in terms of accountability and transparency of healthcare delivery.”

Almustapha Othman, Permanent Secretary of the Sokoto State health ministry, was optimistic that the lessons learnt at the workshop would help in reducing “the maternal and child mortality in the state, and provide quality health data needed by the government to improve health issues.”