FG Rolls Out Sweeping Maternal Health Reforms to Curb Preventable Death 
The Federal Government has unveiled new maternal and newborn health reforms aimed at improving care quality and reducing preventable deaths, as Nigeria marked the 2026 Safe Motherhood Day.
The announcement was made in Abuja during a ministerial briefing by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, bringing together key stakeholders across the health sector.
Permanent Secretary Daju Kachollom said this year’s theme, “Closing the Gap: From Coverage to Quality Care for Every Mother,” highlights the urgent need to move beyond access and prioritise timely, skilled, and compassionate care.
She outlined major interventions, including the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) and the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System (NEMSAS), both designed to strengthen emergency response and save lives. Government is also expanding health insurance, improving community health systems, and upgrading facilities to provide critical obstetric care.
Representing the Coordinating Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, officials disclosed that MAMII is now active in 32 states, benefiting over 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns across more than 250 facilities nationwide.
Emergency response has also improved, with 612 ambulances deployed across 340 local government areas, serving nearly 79,000 people—most of them pregnant women. Antenatal care attendance has risen by 20 percent in intervention areas, while over 166,000 previously unregistered pregnant women have been linked to healthcare services.
In addition, 111,000 mama kits have been distributed nationwide, reaching about 1.2 million women and babies. To boost manpower, over 5,000 health workers, including skilled birth attendants and community health workers, have been recruited.
The government also unveiled updated clinical guidelines and training tools to standardise care and strengthen frontline capacity.
Stakeholders such as the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, National Health Insurance Authority, and World Health Organization commended the reforms, calling for sustained funding and accountability.
The Federal Government urged stronger media engagement and collective action, stressing that no woman should die from preventable pregnancy-related causes.
