FG Launches ₦2.9 Billion Push to Halt Mothers’ and Newborns’ Deaths

The Federal Government has launched a ₦2.9 billion programme to distribute essential maternal and neonatal health commodities across Nigeria.

The initiative, coordinated by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), aims to strengthen frontline health services in states with the highest mortality burdens.

At the Abuja flag-off ceremony, Dr. Muyi Aina, Executive Director of NPHCDA, stressed the urgency: “Too many women die needlessly from preventable causes.” He urged swift action to save lives.

The first phase will cover 10 states and 80 Local Government Areas most at risk. Supplies will be distributed on a zonal basis — 60% to the Northwest, 34% to the Northeast, and the remainder to the North Central and Southeast.

The commodities include antenatal drugs, safe delivery packs, supplements, mosquito nets, family planning tools, and essential medicines to boost Primary Health Care (PHC) centres.

Maternal Mortality Crisis

Dr. Mary Brantwo, WHO Nigeria representative, described the supplies as “tools of hope, dignity, and survival.” Partners from UNICEF, UNFPA, and the Gates Foundation also pledged support.

Nigeria contributes about 20% of global maternal deaths, with some regions recording over 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births — among the world’s worst rates. Neonatal mortality remains high, worsened by rural-urban gaps and a lack of skilled attendants at births.

Beyond commodities, the initiative will fund PHC infrastructure, staff training, and stronger monitoring systems. Dr. Aina added: “If our strategy is working, we double down. If it’s not working, we pivot as appropriate.”

This push, part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is seen as a step to reverse Nigeria’s alarming maternal and neonatal mortality trend.

Could this be the turning point that saves mothers and children in communities long left behind?

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