WorldStage– In a renewed push to cut maternal and newborn deaths, the Federal Government of Nigeria has commenced the distribution of life-saving maternal and neonatal health (MNH) commodities worth ₦2.9 billion to 10 states across the country.
Speaking at the flag-off in Abuja on Monday, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, said the intervention was a key step in advancing President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to safeguard the health of mothers and infants.
According to him, the distribution will prioritize high-burden areas, with the Northwest receiving 60% of the commodities and the Northeast 34%. The initiative, he noted, is a partnership between the federal government, development partners, and states, which are expected to commit resources to ensure sustainability.
According to him, the NPHCDA had identified 10 states and 80 local governments as priority areas for the distribution. He added that the agency is working with states to ensure sustainability of the program, and that states are expected to commit resources to support the initiative.
Aina also pointed out the importance of tracking progress and measuring outcomes to ensure that the initiative is effective in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. “We will measure how we are doing, and if our strategy is working, we will double down
“This is about saving lives. We will monitor our progress closely, and where strategies are working, we will scale them up,” Aina said.
Development partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, lauded the initiative as a practical demonstration of government and partner commitment to maternal and child health.
WHO’s Representative, Dr. Mary Brantwo, described the commodities as “tools of hope, dignity, and survival,” while UNFPA’s Achu Lordfred stressed their role in advancing reproductive health and reducing maternal deaths.
Khalilu Muhammed, Senior Officer at the Gates Foundation, commended Nigeria’s leadership in driving reforms to end preventable maternal deaths and underscored the importance of private sector involvement in achieving sustainable health outcomes.
Currently, 21 states are implementing the Maternal and Child Health program, and NPHCDA says efforts are underway to expand its reach nationwide.
