FG, DELTA STATE PARTNER TO REDUCE MATERNAL AND CHILD DEATHS
By: Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the high rates of maternal and neonatal deaths in Nigeria, pledging stronger collaboration with state governments to save lives.
Speaking at the launch of the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) Project Action Plan in Ashaka, Ndokwa East, Delta State, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasized that President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with the support of global partners, is determined to drastically cut the country’s alarming mortality figures.
According to national health data, maternal mortality currently stands at 512 deaths per 100,000 deliveries, while neonatal mortality is 41 per 1,000 live births. The MAMII project aims to reduce these numbers by at least 30% within two years. The initiative targets high-risk local government areas across 33 states, with Delta State prioritizing five LGAs where cases remain most severe.
Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, highlighted that maternal mortality in the state has already dropped significantly due to interventions such as free maternal healthcare and under-five medical services. He assured that the state government is monitoring hospitals to ensure accountability, warning against fraudulent practices by health workers who exploit vulnerable patients.
Development partners including WHO, UNICEF, USAID, and the World Bank are backing the MAMII programme, while local communities, health workers, and pregnant women pledged full cooperation to achieve the ambitious goals.
The launch event ended with the inauguration of a monitoring taskforce, reinforcing both federal and state governments’ resolve to ensure that no woman or child dies from preventable causes.