As Nigeria participates in Safe Motherhood Week together with the global community, the Development Communications Network (DevComs)) has emphasized the critical importance of addressing the intersection of family planning and maternal health to ensure the well-being of mothers and children nationwide.
Despite progress in maternal healthcare, Nigeria continues to face challenges in reducing maternal mortality rates and ensuring universal access to family planning services.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nigeria accounted for approximately 20% of global maternal deaths in 2017, indicating the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve maternal health outcomes.
During Safe Motherhood Week, under the theme “Empowering Women through Family Planning and Maternal Health,” DevComs /TCI stresses the demanding need to prioritize accessible healthcare services for all Nigerian women, particularly focusing on family planning and maternal health.
ALSO READ: Afghanistan begins nationwide polio vaccination campaign
According to agencies, this call to action aims to raise awareness about the significance of maternal health and the necessity for sustainable investments to safeguard the health of both mothers and their children.
In the press release made available to ASHENEWS, DevComs stated that National Safe Motherhood Day primarily focuses on ensuring all women receive the care they need to be safe throughout their pregnancy.
Adding that one of the major objectives of the national safe motherhood initiative program is to improve quality and increase accessibility to family planning and maternal healthcare services by all women of childbearing age.
DevComs stresses that family planning plays a pivotal role in empowering Nigerian women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
However, noting that by expanding access to contraception and maternal care services, the risks associated with unintended pregnancies can be mitigated, maternal mortality rates can be reduced, and overall maternal well-being can be enhanced.
“Family planning is the cornerstone of maternal health, offering women the autonomy to make informed choices about their reproductive futures,” said the Challenge Initiative team lead, Dr Taiwo Johnson.
Johnson added that “through accessible family planning services, we empower women to navigate their maternal journey with dignity and ensure safer outcomes for both mother and child.”
ALSO READ: Our parlous health system and the Yobe example, by Hassan Gimba
The Nigerian government’s commitment to the national safe motherhood initiative underscores its efforts to improve the quality and accessibility of maternal healthcare services for all Nigerian women of childbearing age.
However, these commitments are not evenly distributed across all levels of governance, stressing that “it is only through sustained strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure, capacity building, and community outreach programmes that the country can address the underlying determinants of maternal mortality and promote healthy pregnancies.”
DevComs Programme Director, Akin Jimoh, noted that “safe motherhood begins with empowering women to plan and space their pregnancies according to their health, economic, and social circumstances.”
Dr Jimoh said, “By prioritising family planning, we not only safeguard maternal health but also pave the way for stronger, healthier families and communities, contributing to a brighter future for all.”
Safe Motherhood is concerned with maintaining the health of the woman and her newborn throughout the pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and post-delivery period.
This Safe Motherhood Week, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to advancing family planning and maternal health in Nigeria.
