Nigeria accounts for 20% of global maternal and child mortality cases – World Bank

PUNCH

The World Bank has said 20 per cent of the world’s maternal and child mortality cases are from Nigeria.

A report released on Friday by the World Bank showed that Nigeria’s levels of maternal and child mortality are among the highest in the world.

“Nigeria’s levels of maternal and child mortality are among the highest in the world, with maternal mortality representing 20 per cent of the global burden,” the report stated.

It also disclosed that the Nigerian government had channelled more resources to primary health care across the country through the establishment of a Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

“Financing and technical assistance from the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children, and Adolescents, helped pilot this programme in three states, and mobilised government resources to expand it nationwide.

“The efforts helped to strengthen about 900 primary healthcare facilities with critical infrastructure like maternity wards, medicines, and skilled health workers. Deliveries, pregnancy medications, and other services were provided for free, and some facilities even covered transportation expenses for midwives to reach isolated communities,” the report stated.

According to the report, the GFF and the World Bank supported the Nigeria State Health Investment Project to reach communities in the Northeastern region of Nigeria which has been grappling with conflict and weakened health systems, leaving many without health care.

Recently, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina, said too many women still die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, and too many children fail to reach their fifth birthday due to preventable diseases.

He noted that Nigeria loses about 2,300 under five years old children and 145 women of childbearing age and most of these deaths occur in northern Nigeria.

“This must change. We must ensure that every woman has access to antenatal care, that every pregnancy is delivered by trained and skilled midwives, and that every child completes their routine immunisation,” he said.

Experts believe that access to free pregnancy care and contraceptive availability to every Nigerian woman will help reduce maternal deaths.