An academic expert has urged the government to enhance the standard and accessibility of healthcare facilities as a pivotal measure to alleviate the escalating maternal mortality rate in Nigeria. Professor Christiana Sowunmi, the Dean of the School of Nursing Sciences at Babcock University in Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, conveyed this recommendation during her 45th inaugural lecture.
In her discourse titled “Plummeting Maternal Mortality Rate: An Uphill Task in Nigeria,” the Professor of Maternal and Child Health underscored the preventable nature of many pregnancy-related fatalities through the implementation of effective, safe, and patient-centered maternal and child healthcare services. Emphasizing the importance of affordability, she advocated for the availability of healthcare resources for pregnant women at reasonable prices.
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To address the maternal mortality challenge in the country, Prof. Sowunmi proposed that the government should allocate material resources to enhance infrastructure, procure equipment, and ensure an adequate supply of drugs for basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care in line with global standards.
Highlighting the alarming statistics, she noted that although Nigeria constitutes 2.4% of the global population, it contributes 10% of worldwide maternal deaths, ranking third after South Sudan and Chad. Citing the World Health Organization (WHO), she pointed out the significant disparity in the lifetime risk of maternal death between Nigerian women (1 in 22) and those in developed countries (1 in 4,900).
Beyond deficiencies in healthcare facilities, the professor identified factors such as the lack of antenatal care attendance, the absence of skilled birth attendants during labour, low maternal education, and socio-cultural norms as contributors to high maternal mortality rates. She suggested that these issues could be mitigated through increased access to quality healthcare facilities.
Prof. Sowunmi stressed the correlation between patient satisfaction and healthcare quality, asserting that satisfied patients are more likely to opt for institutional delivery over traditional or uninformed birth attendants. Her recommended four-point strategy for reducing Nigeria’s maternal mortality burden includes: ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare, political commitment, adherence to WHO guidelines, and enhancing the knowledge and skills of healthcare personnel.
She cited the Abiye scheme in Ondo State as a tangible example of a government initiative that has demonstrated success in reducing maternal mortality rates.
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