Globally, Puerperal infection has been found to be the third most common cause of the high rate of maternal mortality. In Nigeria Peuperal infection accounts for 12% of maternal deaths. A potential attributable cause of puerperal infection is poor infection control policies and practices in health care facilities.This prompted the Women’s Health and Action Research Centre(WHARC) and the University of Aberdeen,Scotland with funding from the McArthur Foundation embarked on a study to assess the infection control practices, currently put in place in health facilities in Nigeria using Edo state as a case study .WHARC is an NGO based in Benin City, Edo State, working to promote the health and social well-being of women and adolescents , through research ,documentation, advocacy and training.
Sixty- three facilities comprising primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions drawn from the public and private sectors were used for the study.A 3-section pre-tested study guide was used by trained interviewers and researchers to elicit information from respondents at the health facilities.