The Nigerian government says its maternal and child health interventions are beginning to yield measurable results, with increased antenatal care attendance and more women delivering with skilled health workers in targeted areas.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the agency’s first quarter 2026 media briefing.
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Mr Aina said the government is deploying a mix of data tracking, free services, and immunisation campaigns to address preventable deaths among women and children, although gaps in coverage and access persist.
Over 223,000 pregnant women tracked
At the centre of the government’s maternal health strategy is the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMI), which tracks pregnant women and links them to care.
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According to the NPHCDA boss, 223,784 women have so far been enrolled and monitored under the programme in selected states.
“What we are doing is following them through the journey of pregnancy to give them what they need, to make sure that they get the care that they need,” he said.
The programme, which began in high-burden areas, is now active in 33 states, although detailed service data is still being compiled nationwide.
Nigeria’s high maternal mortality burden
Maternal and child health remains a major public health concern across Africa, which accounts for a disproportionate share of global deaths.
According to the World Health Organisation, about 260,000 women died from pregnancy and childbirth-related causes globally in 2023, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for roughly 70 per cent of those deaths.
In Nigeria, maternal and newborn mortality rates remain among the highest globally, reflecting persistent gaps in access to quality healthcare services.
Research reveals that Nigeria accounted for nearly 28.3 per cent of global maternal deaths, making it one of the most affected countries.
Also, the country’s maternal mortality ratio remains high, with 1,047 deaths recorded per 100,000 live births. Newborn mortality also remains a major concern as many deaths occur within the first 28 days of life, often due to preventable causes such as birth asphyxia, infections and complications from preterm birth.
Maternal deaths are largely attributed to preventable causes such as postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, infections and unsafe abortions
Most times many of these deaths occur due to delays in accessing care, especially in rural areas where health facilities are limited or poorly equipped.
Experts also say factors such as poor health infrastructure, shortage of skilled health workers, delays in accessing care, and high out-of-pocket costs continue to drive poor outcomes.
Despite ongoing interventions, progress has been slow, raising concerns about Nigeria’s ability to meet the SDGs targets on maternal and newborn survival by 2030.
Rise in antenatal care and skilled deliveries
The agency reported improvements in key maternal health indicators within MAMI-supported areas.
A comparison of first quarter 2026 with the same period in 2025 shows 15.3 per cent increase in antenatal care attendance and 31 per cent increase in deliveries by skilled birth attendants.
Mr Aina linked these gains to targeted interventions, including better tracking of pregnant women and improved referral systems.
“We want to make sure that they attend antenatal care and they also have a role in the mobilisation so that they have healthy babies, they have healthy pregnancies, they are healthy and fit for safe deliveries,” he said.
He added that women are being risk-profiled during pregnancy to determine whether they can safely deliver at primary health centres (PHCs) or require referral to higher-level facilities.
‘Mama Kits’ introduced
To support safer deliveries, the agency said it is providing incentives and free services to pregnant women.
According to the agency, more than 111,000 women have received ‘Mama Kits’, which are intended to support delivery needs.
In addition, emergency maternal services, including caesarean sections, are being offered free under government-supported programmes.
Despite these interventions, Mr Aina acknowledged that the programme currently targets selected areas rather than the entire country.
Immunisation campaigns
On child health, the NPHCDA boss highlighted large-scale vaccination campaigns aimed at preventing deadly diseases.
He said the measles-rubella campaign has reached about 102 million children aged between nine months and 14 years, one of the largest immunisation efforts in the country.
“What this means is that all of these people, at a minimum, are pathways there to having lifelong or long-term immunity against measles and rubella,” he said.
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However, he noted that full protection requires two doses, raising questions about follow-up vaccination coverage.
“This vaccine remains available for free in the health facilities. So, what we do is we do the campaign and get everybody one dose. It’s assumed that you can go back to the health facility to get a second dose if you did not already have that prior,” he added.
