Maternal Mortality and the Negligence of Nigerian Government

By Idris, Faisal Abdullahi

U13MM1027

World Health Organisation (WHO) defines maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any causes related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management. Government at various levels contribute to the high rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria, they failed to provide the needed health care services and enough specialists to cater for peoples' health needs, this is so devastating especially in rural areas, where almost everything is in shambles. Delivery and reproductive health services in Nigeria are weak, availability and use of affordable maternal health services is low. While health service delivery is poor nationwide, it is weakest in the north. A study reported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 2016 has shown that Nigeria has Africa’s largest malaria burden, nationally it is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, over 60 million people suffer malaria episode annually and the allocated resources of just 2-3 million dollars (annually) for malaria prevention and treatment are inadequate to address the magnitude of the problem. Health indicators in Nigeria are some of the worst in Africa, Nigeria suffer more than any African country, with growing population and failure to utilise its endowed resources.

According to the World Health Organization report, only 31 percent of women in Nigeria deliver with a skilled attendants assistance, this is why the life time risk of a woman dying as a result of pregnancy or childbirth is high. The 2003 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey reported that one-third of births in Nigeria are attended by doctors, nurses or midwives. One-fifth of births received the assistance of a traditional birth attendant. One in every four births is assisted by a relative or some other untrained persons, while 17 percent are unassisted. Many people prefer to give birth at home due lack of proper orientation, ignorance, proper awareness and sometimes poverty. In the rural areas, distance to health facilities and having to take transportation contribute immensely to the high rate of maternal mortality.

Recently, reports by UNICEF indicated that Nigeria is the leading country in the world in terms of maternal mortality, this informed the Nigerian Senate to promise to allocate 15% of the 2017 budget to health.

In order to move out from these calamities, Nigerian government must ensure proper funding of the health sector. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says for Nigeria to be seen to prioritise healthcare, it must at the least spend a minimum of N6,908 per Nigerian in a year, which when multiplied by 180 million people will amount to N1.2 trillion. Health issues must be given utmost importance for Nigeria to achieve good health care delivery.