40,000 Women Die From Pregnancy-Related Complications Yearly In Nigeria – Official

An official of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Salma Kolo, has said that pregnancy-related illnesses have claimed more lives in Nigeria than the deadly COVID-19 virus.

Ms Kolo, who is the director of Family Health at the ministry, made this known during a three-day virtual media training organised by the Rotary Action Group for Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health (RMCH).

She said at least 40,000 women in Nigeria lose their lives to pregnancy -related issues annually.

She noted that over one million children under the age of five also die as a result of losing their mothers to pregnancy delivery complications.

“Maternal-related illnesses kill more than COVID-19 virus. Between 40,000 to 50,000 women die from pregnancy/delivery causes yearly,” she said.

“Also, over one million children die from maternal-related deaths. If a mother dies of childbirth complications, the chance of the child surviving is slim,” she said.

Ms Kolo said to end this menace, it is important for women especially those in rural communities to embrace family planning.

She said women should adopt family planning not as a way to reduce the country’s population but as a means to boost their quality of life.

She explained that women are dying as a result of the country’s high fertility rate, low contraception uptake, and lack of access to quality healthcare services, particularly at primary healthcare centres.

She said contraceptives is one of the best ways to prevent maternal mortality and more than 90 per cent of maternal deaths are preventable if women do the right thing.

“Family planning is not to control the number of people but for a better life and economic development,” she said.

She noted that about 60 per cent of Nigerians pay out of pocket to access healthcare services, noting that such a development further restricts women from seeking comprehensive health services.

“We must make sure our primary healthcare facilities are functional and our National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is also there as a safety net, especially for the vulnerable,” she said.

-Premium Times