The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a $1 billion facility to support all 36 states of the federation in addressing the challenges of child and maternal mortality in Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Ali Pate, disclosed this on Monday during the flag-off of the Co-Creation Workshop on the Ogun State Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiative, held at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Dr Pate added that the Federal Government is also upgrading 774 medical facilities nationwide to serve as referral centres, providing free treatment for urgent obstetric cases.
He explained that the recently approved $1 billion facility aims to incentivise states to reduce child and maternal mortality across the country.
“As part of our commitment to improving child and maternal health, the coordination office has secured funding from Hope, which includes the recently approved $1 billion facility. This initiative is designed to encourage states to achieve significant results.
“Whether it’s on the governance side, such as improving human resources in primary healthcare, or achieving better antenatal care coverage, incentive payments will be provided to states based on their performance. This is the essence of the incentive scheme,” he said.
The minister called for collaboration between the federal and state governments to effectively tackle child and maternal mortality in Nigeria.
“No single level of government can solve this alone. That is why we must have a unified conversation, a shared budget, and a collective effort towards achieving the desired results.
“We are fostering synergies between the federal, state, and local governments because that is the only way to make real progress. Moreover, given the diversity of this country, a one-size-fits-all solution from Abuja will not work, as each region has its unique challenges,” he stated.
The minister also emphasised the need to address multi-sectoral factors such as maternal education, nutrition, maternal anaemia, and emergency transport services, including the availability of ambulances for expectant mothers.
Speaking at the event, Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, described the launch of MAMII (Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Initiative) as a demonstration of collective commitment to improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.
Governor Abiodun revealed that two local government areas in Ogun State—Ijebu North-East and Ado-Odo/Ota—have maternal mortality rates exceeding the national average of 194 deaths per 100,000 births.
He reiterated his administration’s dedication to maternal and child health, assuring support for all initiatives aimed at enhancing healthcare services in the state.
In her remarks, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, urged workshop participants to engage in discussions with an open mind, a spirit of innovation, and a commitment to finding actionable solutions that can help save the lives of mothers and their newborns.