Federal Government Advocates for Enhanced Quality Care to Protect Mothers and Newborns
The Federal Government has strongly emphasized the necessity for concrete and actionable measures to guarantee that health facilities across Nigeria provide high-quality care, thereby safeguarding the lives of mothers and newborns. This call to action was made by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, during an event organized by the ministry to commemorate Safe Motherhood Day.
New Policies and Service Delivery Instruments Introduced
Prof. Pate highlighted that the government has implemented a series of new policies and service delivery instruments designed to strengthen maternal and newborn care nationwide. These include the revised Antenatal Care (ANC) Guidelines, the Obstetrics Clinical and Newborn Service Protocol, Life-Saving Skills (LSS) and Expanded LSS training packages, Maternal and Newborn Health Commodity Reporting Tools, the Maternal and Newborn Product Introduction Plan, and the MAMII Comprehensive Guide. He reaffirmed the government's unwavering commitment to enhancing health systems, improving care quality, and ensuring that no woman or newborn is left behind.
The minister noted that this year's theme, "Closing the Gap: From Coverage to Quality Care for Every Mother," with the slogan "Care That Saves. Systems That Deliver," underscores that mere access to healthcare is insufficient. Quality, timeliness, and equity of care are critical factors in saving lives and reducing mortality rates.
Strengthening Human Resources and Emergency Response
In a significant move to bolster human resource capacity, Prof. Pate disclosed that over 2,000 skilled birth attendants and 3,000 community-based health workers have been recruited across eight states: Yobe, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Borno, Kano, Katsina, Niger, and Plateau. Additional states are currently at advanced stages of recruitment, further expanding the workforce dedicated to maternal and newborn health.
He also highlighted the expansion of Nigeria's emergency medical response under NEMSAS/RESMAT, which has improved access to timely lifesaving services, particularly for pregnant women. RESMAT services are now operational in 136 of the 172 MAMII local government areas (LGAs), while Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) have been established across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with active operations in 20 states. To strengthen referral systems and rapid response capacity nationwide, 612 ambulances have been deployed across 340 LGAs. This program has facilitated the transportation of 78,962 beneficiaries so far, with pregnant women accounting for approximately 60 percent—about 47,000 individuals—demonstrating its impact in reducing delays in accessing skilled care.
Key Initiatives and Achievements in Maternal and Newborn Health
Prof. Pate identified the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) as a pivotal milestone in improving outcomes for mothers and newborns. The initiative has now been activated in 32 states, marking a significant scale-up of targeted, data-driven interventions. MAMII focuses on strengthening service delivery, enhancing emergency obstetric and newborn care, and improving referral systems to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Furthermore, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) is expanding financial access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) services to eliminate cost barriers. Since the program's launch, more than 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns have benefited from emergency obstetric and neonatal care. Currently, over 250 health facilities are implementing the program, with more at various stages of readiness.
Nigeria has recorded notable progress in antenatal care attendance and deliveries attended by skilled birth providers. There has been a 20 percent increase in ANC4 attendance in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to the third quarter in LGAs implementing MAMII. Additionally, 166,463 previously unregistered pregnant women have been identified, traced within communities, and linked to primary healthcare centers for antenatal and delivery services across eight states: Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
Distribution of Health Commodities and Equipment
The minister reported that 111,000 mama kits have been distributed nationwide, with procurement of an additional 215,000 ongoing for the 172 MAMII LGAs. Moreover, 20 priority maternal and newborn health commodities have been supplied to 968 primary healthcare centers in 80 LGAs across 10 states, reaching an estimated 1.2 million women and newborns. In addition, 243,198 family planning commodities have been distributed to 19 states, while 10,167 sexual and reproductive health equipment units have been delivered nationwide.
Prof. Pate explained that these interventions reflect a strategic shift from fragmented efforts to a coordinated, systems-based approach. Safe motherhood is achieved not by isolated actions, but by strong systems that function effectively at every level, from the community to tertiary facilities. The Obstetrics Clinical and Newborn Service Protocol provides standardized, evidence-based guidance for healthcare workers to deliver quality care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period. The revised ANC guidelines align with global best practices and World Health Organization recommendations, promoting early booking, increased contact with skilled providers, comprehensive risk screening, and continuity of care. The Maternal and Newborn Product Introduction Plan ensures coordinated rollout of priority health commodities through improved planning, supply chain readiness, provider training, and community awareness.
Call to Action and Future Directions
Prof. Pate called on state governments to sustain and scale these interventions, while urging health workers to continue delivering compassionate, high-quality care. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Daju Kachollom, emphasized that the event's theme challenges Nigeria to move beyond access and ensure that every interaction with the health system results in safe, effective, and respectful care. She acknowledged progress in expanding maternal health service coverage but stressed that quality, timeliness, and skilled care remain the defining factors in saving lives.
Kachollom detailed that the ministry is advancing key interventions, including the empanelment of facilities to provide CEmONC services, expansion of health insurance coverage, and restructuring of the community health workforce to strengthen service delivery at the grassroots. "These efforts reflect our commitment to building a resilient health system that delivers not just services, but quality outcomes for every mother and every child," she said, calling for stronger collaboration among government, development partners, civil society, and communities.
