FG Launches Bold Plan to End Maternal Deaths in Nigeria

By Achimi Muktar

In a sweeping new move to tackle Nigeria’s staggering maternal mortality rate, the Federal Government has rolled out a nationwide maternal health initiative that could save the lives of thousands of women and newborns each year.

The Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) was officially launched at Gwarinpa General Hospital in Abuja on Monday — and it’s already being hailed as a potential game-changer.

The initiative includes free health insurance for pregnant women, free cesarean sections, delivery kits, and even transportation vouchers to ensure no woman is left behind in the journey to safe childbirth.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, described the programme as a direct response to President Bola Tinubu’s mandate that “no woman should die as a result of childbirth.”

Represented by Dayo Adeyanju, the national coordinator of MAMII, Pate said the plan is not just a safety net — it’s a full-scale health intervention with systems in place to track the health journey of every pregnant woman and investigate any maternal death to prevent future occurrences.

“This is not just a slogan,” he emphasized. “We are taking action — from the hospitals to the homes, and across communities.”

Nigeria currently accounts for nearly 20% of global maternal deaths, and the stakes have never been higher. According to global data, 397 women die for every 100,000 births, and an overwhelming 70% of these occur in sub-Saharan Africa, with Nigeria leading the grim statistic.

MAMII, however, promises to change that narrative.

Under the new initiative, the government has signed MOUs with 66 teaching hospitals to offer free cesarean sections — a service often inaccessible to the poorest women due to high costs. Plans are already underway to extend this to general hospitals, thereby reducing the burden on overstretched tertiary centres.

The World Health Organization’s country representative, Dr. Walter Mulombo, praised the initiative, calling it a “vital step” toward “healthy beginnings and hopeful futures” for Nigerian families. He pledged the WHO’s support in monitoring implementation, especially the health insurance provision.

Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, FCT Secretary for Health Services and Environment, highlighted the programme’s broader significance for national development. She reiterated that every pregnant woman in the FCT is now entitled to free health insurance, regardless of whether she gives birth naturally or through surgery.

She also urged women to cooperate by attending antenatal sessions, choosing safe delivery centres, and completing postnatal care, including infant vaccinations.

“Maternal and child health is the cornerstone of national development,” Fasawe said. “And with MAMII, we’re finally giving every Nigerian woman a fighting chance at safe motherhood.”

As the nation watches this bold initiative unfold, one thing is clear: Nigeria is taking a stand — and it’s one that could redefine the future for millions of mothers and their babies.