Health experts have said that despite the strides made in medical science, maternal mortality remains a persistent crisis in Nigeria.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, they emphasized that the challenge lies not in a lack of medical knowledge or solutions but in a lack of equity – fair and just access to quality maternal healthcare for all women, regardless of their social or economic status.
Dr. Halima Adamu, a maternal health specialist based in Kano State, explained that many women continue to die during pregnancy and childbirth not because the complications are untreatable but because the systems designed to support them remain out of reach.
“We’ve made progress in technology, training, and even policy,” she said. “But too many women are still being left behind – in rural communities, displacement camps, and among the urban poor. This is an issue of equity.”
She pointed out that in major cities like the Federal Capital Territory, women are more likely to access skilled birth attendants, emergency care and modern medical facilities. But in rural villages, such as those in Kano or Zamfara, a woman may need to travel long distances, often on foot, just to find a clinic with basic medical supplies.
She recalled the case of her cousin, a mother of three in rural Taraba State. “During her second pregnancy, there was no nurse at the clinic. She had to deliver at home and nearly died from bleeding,” she said.
Adamu emphasised that equity does not mean giving everyone the same resources – it means giving more support to those at greater risk, to ensure survival and dignity in childbirth.
Dr. Daniel Adakole, a public health equity advocate, said that tackling Nigeria’s maternal mortality crisis demands a complete rethink of how care is delivered.
“We need community-centered healthcare, stronger funding for primary health centres and policies that deliberately close the gap between the privileged and the vulnerable,” he said.
He noted that while the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) was designed to serve vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, its impact has been limited due to poor implementation, low accountability and limited awareness.
“Without proper monitoring, many of these women will continue to die silently. Maternal deaths are not just medical failures – they’re failures of justice,” Adakole said.
He also called for stronger government commitment, the inclusion of trained traditional birth attendants in health systems and grassroots-level community engagement to ensure that no woman is left behind.
“Every mother matters,” he said. “If we’re serious about maternal health reform, equity must be at the heart of it.”
Nigeria remains one of the countries with the highest maternal mortality rates globally. In 2020 alone, approximately 82,000 women died from pregnancy-related complications. Most Nigerians still lack access to quality healthcare and are forced to pay out-of-pocket, leading many women to skip antenatal visits or rely on untrained traditional healers.
With a maternal mortality rate of 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, Nigeria ranks third-highest in Africa – far from achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal deaths to 70 per 100,000 by 2030.
