A group known as the Maternal and Reproductive Health Research Collective (MRHRC) revealed that no less than 82,000 Nigerian women die annually due to pregnancy-related problems and childbirth difficulties. The founder and chairperson, Prof. Bosede Afolabi, labeled this mortality rate as the highest in the world. Afolabi urged the government and other stakeholders to intensify reproductive health campaigns, particularly in rural communities, to address this alarming issue.
Prof. Afolabi, a Gynecology professor, emphasized that despite the distressing figures, the majority of these deaths are preventable. The MRHRC has developed an intervention to combat the crisis, aiming to provide safe delivery for 5,000 pregnant women in Lagos. The goal is to collectively reduce maternal mortality by five percent within the coming year.
The group plans to raise N100 million to support pregnant women and enhance safe delivery. Donations from individuals, organizations, and the government will be used to train healthcare workers, pay for consistent antenatal care, and support safe delivery. The MRHRC’s broader objective is to reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria by 30 percent by 2030.
Dr. Mobolanle Balogun, an associate professor of Public Health at the University of Lagos, expressed concern over Nigeria’s abysmally high mortality rate, standing at 30 percent, the highest in the world. She highlighted factors contributing to this situation, including haemorrhage during delivery, obstructed labor, post-delivery infections, high blood pressure, limited access to healthcare facilities, lack of skilled birth attendants, cultural barriers, poverty, and inadequate information.
The MRHRC Executive Director, Funke Iroko, emphasized that the initiative focuses on indigent women and girls, aiming to provide them with access to quality healthcare. The approach involves research, advocacy, and intervention, with a focus on indigent women with low economic status.
Prof. Abide Gbadegesin, commenting on the worrisome illness and death resulting from childbirth, emphasized the need for government intervention, including the provision of healthcare facilities, maintenance of roads in communities, and awareness campaigns to encourage people to use available healthcare services.
