The federal government has scaled up its maternal and newborn health programme to 32 states, recording nearly 79,000 emergency medical responses nationwide in a renewed push to reduce preventable deaths among women and infants.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in Abuja during a ministerial briefing to mark Safe Motherhood Day 2026.
Pate said although progress has been made in widening access to maternal health services, significant gaps remain in ensuring timely, quality and respectful care for all women.
“This year’s theme, ‘Closing the Gap: From Coverage to Quality Care for Every Mother,’ reflects our shift toward improving not just access, but the quality, timeliness and equity of care,” he said.
At the core of the intervention is the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiative, now operational in 32 states, targeting major causes of maternal and neonatal deaths through coordinated, data-driven strategies.
Represented by Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, the minister also highlighted gains under the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System, noting that emergency services have been activated in 136 local government areas.
According to him, over 612 ambulances have been deployed across 340 LGAs, with 78,962 beneficiaries transported so far about 60 per cent of them pregnant women.
To ease financial barriers, the government, through the National Health Insurance Authority, has expanded access to comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care.
“More than 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns have already benefitted from services across over 250 health facilities nationwide,” he said.
At the primary healthcare level, Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Muyi Aina, said investments in frontline services are yielding results, with a 20 per cent rise in antenatal care attendance in programme areas.
He added that over 166,000 previously unregistered pregnant women have been identified and linked to care, while more than 111,000 delivery kits have been distributed nationwide.
Other interventions include the supply of essential commodities to 968 primary healthcare centres, distribution of over 243,000 family planning products, and recruitment of more than 5,000 health workers to strengthen service delivery.
The government also introduced updated clinical guidelines and life-saving training programmes to improve the quality and consistency of care across facilities.
Development partners, including the World Health Organisation, commended Nigeria’s progress and pledged continued support for reforms aimed at strengthening healthcare systems.
The federal government called for sustained collaboration among state governments, health workers and development partners to ensure that the gains translate into improved outcomes for mothers and newborns nationwide.