An expert in Health Law, Prof. Cheluchi Onyemelukwe, has emphasised the urgent need to strengthen legal and policy frameworks to ensure that no woman loses her life during childbirth in Nigeria.

Delivering the 52nd inaugural lecture of Babcock University, titled, ‘The Law as Compass, Lever, or Stumbling Block? Harnessing the Power of Law to Reify and Realise the Right to Health’, the award-winning author examined the role of the law in shaping healthcare policies and addressing systemic challenges in Nigeria’s health sector.

She advocated for the right to health as a fundamental human right, calling for a decisive action to reduce the alarming number of maternal deaths in the country.

Onyemelukwe expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate, which remains one of the highest in the world.

“Thousands of women die each year from pregnancy-related complications, most of which are preventable with proper medical care. It is a disgrace that Nigeria is still one of the most dangerous places for a woman to give birth.
“Childbirth should be a moment of joy, not a death sentence. It is even more of an embarrassment that we continue to allow women to die from complications that could be avoided,” she said.

She identified key factors contributing to maternal mortality, including lack of access to quality healthcare, inadequate prenatal care, poor medical infrastructure, poverty, and government neglect. She stressed that these issues require immediate and sustained intervention.

One of the most pressing concerns she raised was the inaccessibility of quality maternal healthcare, especially in rural and underserved areas.

“Many Nigerian women still lack access to prenatal care, skilled birth attendants, and emergency obstetric services. This means that in cases of complications, delays in reaching healthcare facilities often result in tragic outcomes.

“It is unacceptable that in 2024, a woman experiencing complications during childbirth still has to travel miles to the nearest hospital — often on bad roads, without proper transportation, and with no guarantee of receiving adequate care upon arrival,” she said.

Onyemelukwe highlighted the lack of access to family planning and reproductive health services as another major factor contributing to high maternal mortality rates.

She explained that many Nigerian women have more children than they can afford or physically endure due to the absence of modern contraceptive options and limited reproductive health education.

“Many women still do not have control over their reproductive choices. They have more children than they want or can care for, simply because they lack access to contraceptives, reproductive health education, and affordable maternal care. If we are serious about reducing maternal deaths, we must empower women with the knowledge and resources they need to plan their families effectively,” Onyemelukwe added.

She called on the government to expand family planning services, provide free or affordable contraceptives, and launch public education campaigns to increase awareness of reproductive rights and maternal health.

Onyemelukwe stressed that Nigeria already has legal frameworks that could significantly improve healthcare services if properly implemented.

“One such law is the National Health Act, which provides a Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) to ensure that all Nigerians, particularly vulnerable groups like pregnant women, have access to essential health services.

“However, despite the passage of the Act, its implementation remains weak. Millions of Nigerians, especially women and children, still lack access to the healthcare services promised under the law.

“We have the laws, but without implementation, they are just words on paper. We need to move from rhetoric to action. The National Health Act should be fully implemented, ensuring that healthcare funds reach the facilities that need them most and that maternal healthcare is a top priority,” she noted.

Onyemelukwe also called for increased government investment in healthcare, particularly in maternal and child health programmes. She acknowledged that the Nigerian government has allocated more funds to health in recent years but argued that the current budget is still insufficient to address the country’s urgent healthcare needs.

She referenced the Abuja Declaration of 2001, where African Union countries, including Nigeria, committed to allocating at least 15 per cent of their national budgets to healthcare.

“More than two decades later, Nigeria has yet to meet this target,” she noted.

She expressed hope that Nigeria could one day provide equal healthcare opportunities for all, regardless of location or economic status. She urged state governments to learn from successful healthcare models and adopt best practices in healthcare delivery.

“I believe that one day, a woman in Zamfara will receive the same quality of maternal care as a woman in Lagos. But to achieve this, we must act now. We must commit to strengthening our healthcare systems, prioritising women’s health, and ensuring that every woman has access to safe childbirth,” she stressed.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ademola Tayo, commended Onyemelukwe for her insightful lecture, describing it as a wake-up call for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and legal practitioners.

He emphasised that the recommendations from her lecture should serve as a foundation for meaningful reforms in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.