The Federal Government has announced free Cesarean Sections for Nigerian women who need them across the country.

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, who announced this at the ongoing three-day Nigeria Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review, in Abuja, launched the the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative aimed at reducing maternal and newborn mortality across Nigeria.

According to a tweet posted by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the minister emphasised, that “No woman should lose her life simply because she can’t afford healthcare.

The tweet read: “In a powerful move, The Minister just announced that Cesarean Sections for all Nigerian women who need them will now be free.”

Pate said pivotal feature of the scheme is free cesarean sections for poor and vulnerable women who meet eligibility criteria, covering services provided by both public and private facilities empaneled by the National Health Insurance Authority.

He observed that by removing financial barriers to this life-saving procedure, we ensure that no woman in need is denied critical care due to cost. The minister stated that maternal mortality remains unacceptably high, with 172 local councils contributing to over 50 per cent of maternal deaths and by focusing resources on these high-burden areas, MAMII will address the greatest areas of need.