•215,000 Mama Kits, 40,000 food packs, newborn clothes to target vulnerable women
• Nigeria accounts for 29% of global maternal deaths says Salako
• 60,000 women receive free emergency obstetric care in two years
•FG targets 2.9m pregnant women under MAMII

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has flagged off a fresh package of incentives designed to increase the utilisation of maternal and newborn healthcare services across the country, as the Federal Government intensified its campaign to reduce preventable deaths among mothers and babies.

The initiative, implemented under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), includes the distribution of 215,000 Mama Kits and bags, 40,000 maternal food support packs and 40,000 sets of essential newborn clothing to vulnerable pregnant women.

Speaking at the national flag-off on  Monday in Abuja, the First Lady said the intervention was aimed at ensuring that every Nigerian child had a healthy start in life and that no woman lost her life while giving birth.

Tinubu stated that pregnancy and childbirth should be moments of “hope and joy,” but noted that social, economic, cultural and logistical barriers continued to prevent many women from accessing quality maternal healthcare.

She noted that the maternal food support recognised the importance of a mother’s nutrition to a healthy pregnancy, safe delivery and healthy newborn, while the newborn clothing symbolised the government’s commitment to welcoming every Nigerian child “with dignity, warmth and care.”

Tinubu stated that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare intends to extend the distribution of food support packs and essential newborn clothing to additional local government areas identified as having low uptake of MAMII incentives.

According to her, such practical support will encourage less privileged pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics, prepare adequately for delivery, and continue receiving essential care after birth.

She said, “The newborn clothing represents the administration’s commitment to welcoming every Nigerian child with dignity, warmth, and care.The maternal food support equally recognizes that the health and nutrition of a mother are essential to a healthy pregnancy, safe delivery, and a healthy newborn”.

Tinubu observed that sustainable progress in health and most development efforts thrive on partnership and urged state and local governments, traditional and religious leaders, development partners, philanthropists and other stakeholders to ensure that the incentives reached women in underserved communities.

Also speaking, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Adekunle Salako, said that Nigeria faces one of the world’s most severe maternal mortality crises.

Citing the 2023–24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, Salako said a Nigerian woman faces approximately a one-in-19 lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes, compared with one in 4,900 in the world’s most developed countries.

He added that Nigeria accounts for close to 29 per cent of global maternal deaths, describing the situation as one of the country’s most sobering public health challenges.

He stated that MAMII, launched in November 2024, targets 172 local government areas across 33 states, representing only about 20 per cent of the country’s LGAs but accounting for 55 per cent of maternal deaths.

Salako noted that the Federal Government is targeting a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality and a 20 per cent reduction in neonatal mortality by 2028, with plans to reach 2.9 million pregnant women with free, timely and comprehensive care.

He observed that early results from the programme were encouraging, with more than 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns already benefiting directly from emergency obstetric and neonatal care.

Salako disclosed that nearly 79,000 beneficiaries, about 60 per cent of them pregnant women, had been transported to healthcare facilities through the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System, while antenatal care attendance in MAMII areas had increased significantly.

On his part, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, said the government is addressing maternal mortality from both the supply and demand sides by strengthening primary healthcare facilities, providing skilled personnel and commodities, improving emergency referral systems and reducing financial barriers to care.

Pate disclosed that more than 60,000 women had received free Caesarean sections and other emergency obstetric services through the National Health Insurance Authority in the last two years.

He also said more than 120,000 frontline health workers had been retrained, while over 3,000 healthcare facilities had been revitalised and hundreds equipped with essential materials.

According to him, more than 6,000 women suffering from obstetric fistula had also received corrective treatment and empowerment support.

Pate stated that nutrition remained central to maternal and newborn survival, noting that the government was linking maternal nutrition interventions with the First Lady’s Community Food Bank initiative.

He said: “Pregnancy is not a disease, but yet many mothers lose their lives in the course of delivering life. We need to intensify and accelerate ongoing interventions.”

The World Health Organisation Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Pavel Ursu, commended the initiative but cautioned that incentives alone would not solve the maternal mortality crisis.

He said women must find quality, safe and respectful care when they arrive at health facilities, backed by trained health workers, essential medicines and supplies and functioning referral systems.

“Every mother matters, every newborn deserves a healthy, safe start in life,” Ursu said.

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria President (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh also pledged the church’s support for the initiative, saying churches would use their clinics, pulpits, women’s fellowships and community networks to educate and mobilise families to take advantage of maternal and newborn services.

The National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Hon. Aliyu Bello Lawal, represented at the event, pledged the commitment of the 774 local government councils to supporting MAMII and strengthening primary healthcare delivery.

The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo, described MAMII as an evidence-driven intervention capable of strengthening community mobilisation and increasing demand for primary healthcare services.

She disclosed that the National Assembly had provided, for the first time, appropriation for the Vulnerable Group Fund under the National Health Insurance Act to support health insurance coverage for pregnant women, children under five, internally displaced persons, persons with disabilities and retirees.