By Sesi Noah The Federal Government has launched a new health initiative worth ₦2.9 billion to help reduce the high number of maternal and ...
By Sesi Noah
The Federal Government has launched a new health initiative worth ₦2.9 billion to help reduce the high number of maternal and newborn deaths in the country.
At the flag-off ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, announced the nationwide distribution of essential maternal and child health commodities. The rollout, being done in partnership with development agencies, will cover 10 states in the first phase—Bauchi, Borno, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Yobe, and Zamfara.
A total of 21 categories of life-saving commodities will be supplied to 1,936 primary healthcare facilities across 80 Local Government Areas. The initiative also includes training for health workers, provision of equipment, and infrastructure support to improve service delivery at the grassroots.
Nigeria currently has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates—576 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to UNICEF. Each year, an estimated 262,000 babies die at birth, while under-five mortality remains alarmingly high, with most deaths linked to malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Aina stressed that reducing these figures is a top national priority. “Too many women are dying from preventable causes. Even one death is too many,” he said, adding that the FG will begin annual tracking of maternal mortality to measure the effectiveness of interventions.
He explained that while the Federal Government is providing leadership, states and local governments must take ownership to ensure sustainability. “This intervention is to fill gaps and show what’s possible. But long-term funding and continuity have to come from the states,” Aina noted.
Representatives of global health partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), described the commodities as “tools of hope” and praised the initiative as a strong step toward safeguarding the lives of mothers and children.
Photo credit: Punch
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