Maternal Mortality Drops by 66% in Cross River

Photo: The World Bank

Report says Hospital based maternal and neonatal mortality rates have been reduced by 66 and 37 percent respectively in Cross River State, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has said.

Speaking during the Safe Mothers, Giving life (SMGL) dissemination meeting yesterday in Abuja, the USAID/Nigeria for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH) Team Lead, Vathani Amirthanayagam said, through the Pathfinder implemented programme funded by USAID, reducing maternal mortality by 66 percent in Cross River State is profound. 

She said the government of Nigeria can look at this module and scale up to the other 35 States as they are also moving to three States; Sokoto, Bauchi and Kebbi adding that different donors are taking different State because if they all decide to work in same State it becomes very confusing.

Vathani said it is important to reduce maternal mortality, adding that “we all have mother’s, we all came from women and if we can prevent them from dying in this most vulnerable time in their life, which is given birth, it is very important.” 

“Can you imagine a Nigeria where two-thirds of women who gave birth are alive? Where two-thirds of children given birth to have their mothers alive? We have records where mothers died and the child does not live above the age of 5, this very difficult. The key to all of these is the mother and that is what we are doing to help mothers live productive life.” 

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Abdullahi Mashi in his goodwill message said maternal mortality is a major public health emergency. “Evidence shows that maternal and neonatal deaths are caused by conditions that can easily be prevented or treated. 

Nigeria’s Maternal Mortality Ratio is 576 per 100,000 Live births (NDHS, 2013) and our Neonatal Mortality is 38 per 1000 Live births (NDHS, 2018).” Represented by the Director, Reproductive Health, Family Health Department, FMoH, Dr Kayode Afolabi, he said, most maternal deaths are related to the three delays which are: Delays in recognising and deciding to seek care, delays in reaching the health facility and delays in receiving quality obstetric care. 

He added that the Government of Nigeria is implementing a wide range of evidence-based intervention in a bid to provide quality services and account for every pregnancy and newborn through the RMNCAH +N Strategy.

“These include, Policy on Free Family Planning information and Services, National communication Plan and Family Planning Logo and Task Shifting/Task Sharing policy for essential health care services in Nigeria.” The country Director, Pathfinder International, Nigeria, Dr Farouk Jega said Cross River state was chosen because of many reasons such as, demographic, socio-economic but most importantly the State is one of the highest in maternal mortality rate and also the highest in out of hospital delivery in the country. 

Related When young minds unite against maternal, child mortalities Mimiko at Chatham House, advises FG to prioritize maternal healthcare Reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria. 


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