April 30, (THEWILL)- The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Nigeria has advocated for improved access to family planning and maternal healthcare services for all women of childbearing age in Nigeria.
The call was made as part of activities to mark the 2024 Safe Motherhood Week with the theme: “Empowering Women through Family Planning and Maternal Health.”
Mrs. Omobonike Adebayo, Project Lead from TCI Nigeria, in a statement, said the day serves as a call to action to prioritise accessible healthcare services for all Nigerians.
“One of the major objectives of the national Safe Motherhood Initiative programme is to improve quality and increase accessibility to family planning and maternal healthcare services by all women of childbearing age.
“Despite progress made in maternal healthcare, Nigeria continues to face challenges in reducing maternal mortality rates and ensuring universal access to family planning services,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria accounted for approximately 20% of global maternal deaths in 2017, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which highlighted the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve maternal health outcomes.
“Family planning plays a pivotal role in empowering Nigerian women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.
“By expanding access to contraception and maternal care services, we can mitigate the risks associated with unintended pregnancies, reduce maternal mortality rates, and enhance overall maternal well-being,” she added.
Also speaking, Dr. Taiwo Johnson, The Challenge Initiative Team Lead, highlighted the crucial intersection of family planning and maternal health in safeguarding the well-being of mothers and their children across the nation.
He described family planning as the cornerstone of maternal health, offering women the autonomy to make informed choices about their reproductive futures.
“Through accessible family planning services, we empower women to navigate their maternal journey with dignity and ensure safer outcomes for both mother and child,” he said.
Dr. Johnson noted that the Nigerian government’s commitment to the national safe motherhood initiative underscores its efforts to improve the quality and accessibility of maternal healthcare services for all Nigerian women of childbearing age.
“However, these commitments are not evenly distributed across all levels of government. It is only through sustained strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure, capacity-building, and community outreach programmes that the country can address the underlying determinants of maternal mortality and promote healthy pregnancies,” he added.
DevComs Programme Director, Akin Jimoh, said safe motherhood begins with empowering women to plan and space their pregnancies according to their health, economic and social circumstances.
“By prioritising family planning, we not only safeguard maternal health but also pave the way for stronger and healthier families and communities, contributing to a brighter future for all.
“Safe Motherhood is concerned with maintaining the health of the woman and her newborn throughout the process of pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth and the post-delivery period.
“On this Safe Motherhood Week, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to advancing family planning and maternal health in Nigeria.
“By working together across sectors, the country can create an enabling environment where every woman has the opportunity to access comprehensive healthcare services and realise her right to a safe and healthy motherhood experience,” Jimoh said.
About the Author
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
