The Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) has urged the Federal Government to integrate Ferric Carboxymaltose (FCM) into the country’s healthcare system to tackle moderate-to-severe postpartum anaemia and reduce maternal deaths.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ roundtable on strengthening policy and implementation for Ferric Carboxymaltose in Abuja, SOGON President, Prof. Okechukwu Ikpeze, described the medicine as a proven intervention that could significantly reduce maternal deaths associated with anaemia in pregnancy.

He said maternal anaemia remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health challenges, affecting more than half of women attending antenatal clinics.
According to him, anaemia substantially increases the risk of maternal death when pregnancy or childbirth complications occur and also threatens the health and survival of unborn and newborn babies.

Ikpeze said Ferric Carboxymaltose has the potential to transform the treatment of pregnancy-related anaemia as the government and regulators consider its nationwide adoption. “The government is already aware of the effectiveness and safety of Ferric Carboxymaltose. Our appeal is for the relevant authorities to complete the necessary approval processes and integrate the drug into Nigeria’s healthcare system,” he said.

“As a professional body, we will continue to provide scientific evidence and support the government at every stage to ensure this life-saving treatment becomes available to pregnant women across the country.”

He explained that the drug has demonstrated greater effectiveness than conventional oral iron therapy in treating moderate-to-severe anaemia during pregnancy, making it a critical intervention in efforts to reduce Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate.

Ikpeze said the policy dialogue brought together officials of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), researchers, academics, development partners and other stakeholders to develop a roadmap for the medicine’s adoption.

“Our ultimate goal is to reduce maternal deaths and improve outcomes for both mothers and their babies,” he said.

He added that studies conducted by the Centre for Translation and Implementation Research at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the Centre for Applied Research and Implementation in Maternal and Child Health (CAPRIMAN) across Lagos, Kano and Kaduna states showed that Ferric Carboxymaltose effectively corrected anaemia without serious adverse effects.

“The evidence is very strong. Hundreds, if not thousands, of pregnant women have received the drug, and no deaths have been linked to its use,” he said.

Ikpeze noted that the findings had been published in reputable international scientific journals and that the medicine has also been successfully used in Malawi and several high-income countries.

While acknowledging that the medicine was initially expensive because it was imported mainly for research, he said increased availability has begun to reduce its cost. Ikpeze, however, identified out-of-pocket healthcare spending as a major barrier to access and urged the government