The Federal Government has commenced the distribution of $6 million worth of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) equipment to about 252 health facilities across 30 states in a renewed bid to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in the country.
A breakdown of the amount showed that each of the 30 benefitting states will receive CEmONC equipment valued at $200,000. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) initiative, in Abuja, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, noted that the administration six months ago commenced the distribution of equipment and commodities to primary healthcare centres through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and explained that the current phase is targeted at strengthening secondary healthcare facilities across the country.
Represented by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina, the minister stated that more than 40,000 women had already benefited from life-saving interventions under the programme, describing it as a fulfilment of President Bola Tinubu's promise to strengthen healthcare delivery and ensure safer childbirth outcomes for Nigerian women and newborns.
He said, "Over 40,000 women have already accessed timely life-saving interventions across our CEmONC facilities. These are not just numbers; these are our sisters, our mothers, our neighbours who have been given a second chance at life."
Pate emphasized that the adoption of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) has strengthened partnerships and improved coordination within the health sector, adding that the equipment would address critical service delivery gaps in secondary health facilities across the country. He said, "This is proof that when we combine resources, align priorities and move in one direction, we can deliver results that will reverberate across the nation."
The minister explained that the equipment package was tailored to the specific needs identified by states, ranging from oxygen concentrators and pharmaceutical-grade refrigerators to incubators and baby warmers. "One state said the biggest gap is newborn care, so you saw incubators and baby warmers. Some states identified oxygen shortages, so they received oxygen concentrators. These are very targeted and deliberate interventions."
He stated that equipment alone cannot solve the country's maternal mortality challenge, and appealed to states to strengthen the healthcare workforce, infrastructure, and referral systems in secondary healthcare facilities. "We need to ensure these facilities are not just equipped but truly functional. The secondary level is perhaps even worse affected with staffing gaps than every other level," he added.
The minister highlighted the need to ensure efficient use of the equipment and warned against the diversion of the equipment for private use. "These are hard-earned resources. States must ensure they are deployed quickly and not diverted to private facilities. The Federal Government will put measures in place to track and hold people accountable," he added.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, described the intervention as a significant milestone in strengthening Nigeria's health system and reducing financial hardship associated with maternal healthcare. He noted that the NHIA had supported CEmONC services in 245 facilities nationwide since implementation began in 2024. "Since implementation in 2024, we have 245 protected facilities and over 45,000 claims so far. Each of those statistics represents a life saved and a future protected," he said.
Ohiri, who was represented by Dr Nnena Kalu, said that neonatal care components had also been scaled up in about 10 facilities with over 3,000 claims recorded. "There are 3,000 lives and babies saved and families protected," she noted. Ohiri called on state governments to complement the equipment distribution with skilled manpower, reliable power supply, and effective referral systems. "We also need strong referral systems, reliable supply chains, regular power supply and sustained community awareness. All this is needed to have functional healthcare facilities where lives can be saved," she said.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the SWAp Coordination Office, Dr Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, said the initiative was in line with the implementation of the health sector compact signed under the Tinubu administration. He noted that the quality of Nigerian healthcare workers has remained globally competitive despite workforce shortages. "Our doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory technicians are highly desired across the world. If they were not competent, they would not be recruited in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada."
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, said the SWAp framework is helping states improve healthcare delivery through incentives and collaboration, adding that some states have increased salaries and allowances for health workers to reduce migration abroad. "What today represents is the incentive framework. We are providing equipment for CEmONC while states provide infrastructure, civil works and human resources. This alignment is minimising duplication and improving efficiency," Filani said.
