172 LGAs Account for 55% of Maternal Deaths as FG Targets 2.9m Women
Nigeria has intensified its battle against maternal and newborn deaths, targeting 172 high-risk Local Government Areas responsible for an estimated 55 per cent of maternal deaths across the country.
The Federal Government’s latest intervention is expected to provide free, timely and comprehensive maternal and newborn healthcare services to about 2.9 million pregnant women, particularly in communities with some of the country’s poorest health outcomes.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, disclosed this at the national flag-off of incentives aimed at increasing the utilisation of maternal and newborn healthcare services in Abuja.
The programme forms part of the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, MAMII, introduced by the Federal Government in November 2024.
Although the 172 targeted LGAs across 33 states represent only about 20 per cent of Nigeria’s local government areas, the government says they account for approximately 55 per cent of maternal deaths.
The concentration of deaths in these communities has prompted the government to adopt a targeted approach rather than spread interventions evenly across the country.
Under the programme, pregnant women will be encouraged to register early for antenatal care, deliver their babies in recognised health facilities and return for essential postnatal care.
The Federal Government aims to reduce maternal mortality by 30 per cent and neonatal mortality by 20 per cent in the affected LGAs by 2028.
Salako said Nigeria accounts for close to 29 per cent of maternal deaths globally, while a Nigerian woman faces approximately a one-in-19 lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes.
The figures highlight the continuing dangers faced by millions of women during pregnancy and childbirth, particularly those living in rural and underserved communities where access to skilled medical personnel and emergency services remains difficult.
Government officials believe financial and other incentives could help remove some of the barriers preventing women from accessing healthcare services at critical stages of pregnancy.
The government said MAMII has already recorded interventions in states including Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Ogun, with more than 250 healthcare facilities participating.
More than 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns have reportedly received emergency obstetric and neonatal care through the programme.
The National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System, NEMSAS, has also transported nearly 79,000 beneficiaries to healthcare facilities, with pregnant women accounting for about 60 per cent.
The government said fourth-visit antenatal attendance in LGAs covered by MAMII increased by 20 per cent within one quarter, suggesting improved utilisation of maternal healthcare services.
Beyond the latest programme, more than 60,000 women have received free Caesarean sections and other emergency obstetric services through the National Health Insurance Authority, while more than 120,000 frontline healthcare workers have undergone retraining.
More than 6,000 women affected by obstetric fistula have also received corrective treatment and empowerment support.
The new incentives are designed to encourage three critical practices: early antenatal registration, delivery in healthcare facilities and postnatal follow-up.
The government believes increasing the number of women accessing these services could significantly reduce preventable deaths associated with pregnancy and childbirth.
First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who flagged off the initiative, said the programme was another step towards ensuring Nigerian children have a healthy start in life while reducing the number of women dying during childbirth.
The intervention also includes 215,000 Mama Kits and bags, alongside 40,000 maternal food-support packs and 40,000 sets of essential newborn clothing.
With 172 LGAs carrying more than half of the country’s maternal mortality burden, the success of the programme could depend on whether incentives translate into sustained antenatal attendance, skilled deliveries, faster emergency referrals and effective postnatal care.
