A gynaecologist, Dr Qudus Lawal, has urged the government to expand ongoing healthcare programmes and strengthen primary healthcare to accelerate the reduction of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Lawal, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, made this known in an interview with reporters on Sunday.
Maternal mortality refers to deaths resulting from complications of pregnancy or childbirth.
Lawal said maternal mortality was driven by direct, indirect and background factors, including postpartum haemorrhage, obstructed labour, hypertensive disorders, coagulopathy and infections.
“Indirect causes include malaria and other conditions worsened by pregnancy, while poor education, nutrition and women’s empowerment also increase maternal health risks,” he said.
The gynaecologist identified three major delays contributing to maternal deaths: delays in deciding to seek care, transportation challenges and delays within health facilities.
Lawal said improving women’s education and empowerment could encourage early healthcare-seeking behaviour, while efficient transportation and referral systems would facilitate access to appropriate emergency care.
He commended the government’s ongoing reforms, including interventions targeting high-burden local government areas, saying they had contributed to a 17 per cent reduction in maternal mortality.
However, Lawal said the progress should encourage further action, stressing the need to expand the programmes geographically and extend them to low-burden and rural areas.
He called for the expansion of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) services across all levels of healthcare, supported by effective referral and transportation systems.
Lawal urged the government to strengthen primary healthcare facilities and improve training for healthcare providers, stressing that many women depended on primary healthcare centres.
He said the measures were necessary to accelerate progress towards reducing maternal mortality and ensure that women did not die from preventable pregnancy-related complications.
It was reported that Nigeria continues to face one of the world’s highest maternal mortality burdens, accounting for nearly 20 per cent of global maternal deaths.
Data from the World Health Organisation showed that Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio stood at 993 deaths per 100,000 live births, far above the global target of 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
