By Blessing Bature
In a significant move to address the high maternal mortality rate in Nigeria, the Federal government has identified 174 high-burden local governments across the country, responsible for 50% of maternal deaths.
The Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate said to tackle this challenge, the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Investment Initiative has been launched, demonstrating Nigeria’s commitment to ending maternal mortality.
Pate disclosed this at the Nigeria Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review 2024 that the State of Health Report highlights progress, but also underscores challenges, particularly in data reliability and execution.
He said, Despite these challenges, Nigeria are committed to achieving its goal of reducing maternal mortality.
Speaking on Sector-Wide Approach, the Minister said Nigeria’s health sector is adopting a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), promoting coordination, transparency, and accountability. This approach has been successful in other countries, such as Ghana, Tanzania, and Rwanda, in improving health outcomes.
He also noted that President Bola Tinubu emphasized the importance of prioritizing health in Nigeria’s policy agenda while stressing the critical role of adopting a sector-wide approach in achieving Nigeria’s health goals.
With the launch of this initiative and the government’s commitment to improving healthcare, Nigeria is taking significant steps towards reducing maternal mortality and achieving better health outcomes for its citizens.
Pate noted, “The task ahead is enormous, and it demands our collective efforts and genuine partnerships. Let us embrace a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, including our development partners, to help us build a healthier Nigeria”.
“To our development partners, I extend my heartfelt thanks for aligning with SWAp principles and adopting the necessary behavioral shifts. Your support for our annual operational plans, bottom-up resource allocation, and focus on high-burden local governments is invaluable. We look forward to your continued collaboration as we refine our resource coordination and align portfolios with our national health priorities”, he added.
In line with the President’s vision, he encouraged Nigeria citizens to hold all levels of government accountable for delivering improved quality health services, saying “our mission goes beyond statistics; it’s about improving lives and supporting communities across Nigeria”.
He expressed, “as we work to improve population health outcomes, we must also address the environmental factors impacting health. Our collaboration with the Ministry of Environment will be essential in ensuring that we protect our most vulnerable communities and build a resilient, healthier Nigeria that is prepared for future challenges”.
“Let us remember that the lives of Nigerians especially women, children, and the most vulnerable are at stake. We must do everything within our power to safeguard their well-being, and we will be relentless in our resolve to deliver an efficient, equitable, and quality health system for all Nigerians”, he noted.