FG Expands Maternal Health Programme, Records 79,000 Emergency Responses

The Federal Government has expanded its maternal and newborn health programme to 32 states and recorded nearly 79,000 emergency medical transports nationwide as part of efforts to reduce preventable deaths among women and newborns.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja to mark Safe Motherhood Day 2026, according to a statement shared on the ministry’s official X handle on Wednesday.

Pate said Nigeria has made progress in expanding access to maternal health services but still faces challenges in ensuring timely, high-quality, and respectful care.

He explained that this year’s theme, “Closing the Gap: From Coverage to Quality Care for Every Mother,” underscores a shift toward prioritising quality, timeliness, and equity in healthcare delivery.

“Central to the intervention is the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), now operational in 32 states. The programme targets leading causes of maternal and neonatal deaths through data-driven strategies aimed at strengthening service delivery, emergency obstetric care, and referral systems,” the ministry said.

Pate, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Daju Kachollom, highlighted progress under the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System, noting that emergency services are now active in 136 MAMII local government areas, with 612 ambulances deployed across 340 LGAs and Emergency Medical Teams nationwide.

According to him, 78,962 beneficiaries have been transported, with pregnant women accounting for about 60 per cent of cases so far.

The ministry further stated that the government, through the National Health Insurance Authority, is expanding access to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care services, a development aimed at addressing financial barriers.

It added that over 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns have benefited across more than 250 health facilities.

According to the ministry, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Muyi Aina, pointed out that investments in frontline services are improving access and continuity of care with increasing antenatal attendance reflecting growing confidence in the health system.

The ministry also noted that in recent data, antenatal care attendance has increased by 20 per cent in programme areas, while 166,463 previously unregistered pregnant women have been identified and linked to care across eight states.

It added that the government has also distributed over 111,000 maternity kits nationwide and supplied essential maternal and newborn commodities to 968 primary healthcare centres, benefiting an estimated 1.2 million women and newborns.

Additional support includes the distribution of 243,198 family planning commodities, more than 10,000 reproductive health equipment units, and the recruitment of over 5,000 health workers.

Development partners, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), commended Nigeria’s progress and reaffirmed their support for ongoing reforms, particularly to strengthen quality and system coordination.

The Federal Government further reiterated the need for sustained collaboration across all levels, calling on state governments, health workers, communities, and partners to scale efforts and ensure that ongoing reforms translate into improved outcomes for every Nigerian mother and newborn.