How to start a maternity centre

Maternity is simply the state of Motherhood or the condition of being pregnant. A maternity centre is a "confine" where maternity services are concentrated and rendered. In most cases, maternity centres are private owned, that's to say they're owned by individuals. Services offered at maternity centres include but are not restricted to Antenatal care, child-birth/delivery as well as post-natal care. They are not open to everyday services as offered by clinics and no plans of including such external services in their list of preference. The reason why maternity centres concentrate greatly on the aspects mentioned above is because motherhood is a very sentive condition, the state of being pregnant or being heavy with a child is an issue of life and death and as such, any mistakes in care made during the processes preceeding child birth could result in painful loss and damage to either mother or child or even both, so they tend to specialize on this aspect of health and try
to develop it above average by obatining the necessary equipments and instruments needed for these processes which usually cost a fortune.

If you'd like to start a maternity centre, at this point, it would be right for me to conclude that by now you already understand what your duties and responsibilities are, so let's proceed to discussing the practical aspects associated with starting a maternity centre in Nigeria.

1... Carry on a research in this field
Usually with every new business endeavour, a research must be made and this is because you do not have prior knowledge and even if you do, you definitely do not have sufficient knowledge. So a good field research would be nice to do. Consult a few medical experts, tell them your plans and seek for suggestion, also consult a few existing centres advisably far from your intending location, ask a few necessary questions and get informed rightly. This places you in a better position to direct your organization even if you don't plan to be the Manager.

2... Locate a comfortable and conducive environment
A maternity centre should and should be located or situated in a calm, peaceful and siren environment. Pregnant women are allergic to noise and disturbances, also most times their condition causes them discomfort and they tend to make people around them quite uncomfortable to some extent, a noisy environment would only aggravate issues by creating a more heated up atmosphere and disturbing effect for anxiety and emotional imbalance. A maternity centre should never be located very near to a market or in the middle of a market, it would never function perfectly.

3... Acquire qualified and experienced staff
One of the fastest killers and destroying factor for every business is unqualified assistants or unqualified staff. No matter what your field of engagement is, even a mechanic needs qualified assistants or workers who are willing to learn. The case of running a maternity centre takes on Even more serious precautions because this has to do with life, yes life of
an unborn child and the mother. With this reason stated, you do not need to be told that you must and should be willing to hire qualified professionals, certified nurses and skilled and experienced mid-wives, payroll for this category of workers might actually be a great expenditure but definitely this is what you NEED!

4.... Obtain license and legal registeration
Inasmuch as its a private establishment, you cannot run a maternity fit without due registerations and licensing. You would get into legal trouble and I mean real trouble. Contact the necessary sources and obtain the needed licenses. CAC Nigeria is where to register your center as a real business organization and be recognized as one.

5... Buy equipments
We'd be spending alot here but a good budget and plan would ensure that we get the first things first and the next ones next. The basic equipments you need in a maternity centre as seen in most maternity wards in hospitals are
--- Healthy stretchers
--- Sound hospital beds
--- Drip stands
--- Aluminum traypans
--- Cutting tools like scissors, knifes, scalpel etc whether you'd be running a Caesarean section or natural birth only is up to you.
--- Lab test equipments
--- X-ray scanners for ecography

And a couple more laboratory equipments which are fundamental to mother and child's healthy living and safe afterwards separation.


Best regards