By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

The Federal Government has launched a new incentive programme aimed at encouraging pregnant women to make early use of antenatal, delivery and postnatal healthcare services across 172 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 33 states.

The initiative is part of efforts to tackle Nigeria’s high rate of maternal and newborn deaths, particularly in communities where the burden remains severe.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced the programme on Monday in Abuja during the national flag-off of the Incentives to Increase Maternal and Newborn Care Services Utilization programme.

Salako said Nigeria accounts for nearly 29 per cent of maternal deaths recorded globally, describing the situation as a major public health concern.

He noted that a Nigerian woman faces an estimated one-in-19 lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes, compared with about one-in-4,900 in the most developed countries.

According to him, the new programme is designed to encourage women to register for antenatal care early, give birth in health facilities and return for postnatal care after delivery.

The minister explained that the intervention is being implemented under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), which was launched by the Federal Government in November 2024.

MAMII specifically focuses on 172 LGAs across 33 states, representing about 20 per cent of the country’s LGAs but accounting for approximately 55 per cent of maternal deaths.

The Federal Government is targeting a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality and a 20 per cent reduction in neonatal mortality in the selected areas by 2028. The programme is also expected to provide free and timely comprehensive healthcare to about 2.9 million pregnant women.

Salako said MAMII had already commenced in states including Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Ogun, with more than 250 health facilities involved.

He disclosed that over 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns had benefited directly from emergency obstetric and neonatal care through the programme.

The minister also said nearly 79,000 people had been transported to healthcare facilities through the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), with pregnant women making up about 60 per cent of those transported.

He said the emergency transport service was helping to reduce delays in accessing medical attention, which can be critical during pregnancy and childbirth.

Salako further revealed that antenatal care attendance had improved in communities covered by MAMII. According to him, attendance for the fourth antenatal visit rose by 20 per cent within one quarter.

He said the newly introduced incentives would strengthen behaviours that can help prevent avoidable deaths among mothers and newborns.

The minister said the government would continue to build on the progress recorded through MAMII and work towards expanding the interventions across the country.

He also acknowledged the support of international development partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, UNFPA, the Global Financing Facility and USAID.

According to Salako, their technical and financial assistance has contributed to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system and improving access to maternal and newborn services.

He also commended First Lady Oluremi Tinubu for her health-related interventions through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

Salako said the initiative had supported the distribution of professional kits to midwives across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and the retraining of 120,000 frontline health workers.

He added that the First Lady’s Free to Shine campaign was also focused on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.

More than N100 billion, he said, had been mobilised through the initiative to support vulnerable women, children and families.

Salako stressed that the government’s broader goal was to bring essential maternal and newborn healthcare closer to women, especially those living in communities with high levels of maternal mortality.

He assured Nigerians that the government would continue expanding interventions aimed at ensuring that women can access quality care quickly and safely during pregnancy and childbirth.