The World Health Organisation of the African region said African loses and estimated 178,000 mothers and One million new borns every year, many of which are preventable.

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The regional health body made this known on Monday in a release to commemorate World Health Day, celebrated on April 7 annually.

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This year’s campaign focuses on improving maternal and newborn health and survival with the theme “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”.

It said the African region has made progress in lowering maternal mortality since 2000 but needs a 12-fold increase in the annual reduction rate to reach the Sustainable Development Goals target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, new estimates by the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Interagency Group show.

“Despite a 40 per cent decline in maternal mortality, from 727 to 442 deaths per 100 000 live births between 2000 and 2023, the region still accounts for 70 per cent of global maternal deaths. Each year, an estimated 178,000 mothers and one million newborns die in the African region – many from preventable causes.

“At the current annual reduction rate of 2.2 per cent between 2000 and 2023, the region is projected to have nearly 350 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, five times higher than the SDG target of fewer than 70 deaths.
“Likewise, although stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates have declined by 30 per cent and 33 per cent respectively between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for 47 per cent of stillbirths and 46 per cent of global newborn deaths. The region is projected to record neonatal mortality rate of about twice the SDG target of at least as low as 12 deaths per 1000 live births by 2030,” it stated.

It said this year’s theme for World Health Day calls on governments, donors, and communities to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths and to prioritize the longer-term health and well-being of women and children.

“In too many places, pregnancy and childbirth are still life-threatening events,” said the acting WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. Every dollar invested in maternal and newborn health delivers major returns: healthier families, stronger societies, and sustainable economic growth.”

WHO said the key barriers to progress include inadequate financing, weak governance, health workforce shortages, and recurring shocks, such as disease outbreaks and conflicts, all of which disrupt maternal and child health services. In fragile and crisis-affected settings, women and children are particularly at risk.

It highlighted that the leading causes of maternal deaths in the region include haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infections, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour, all conditions that are largely preventable or treatable with access to timely, quality care.

Among newborns, preterm births, complications during childbirth, sepsis and neonatal infections, as well as congenital anomalies are the common causes of death.

“WHO is supporting countries across the region in implementing a wide range of interventions. These include developing and rolling out maternal and newborn health acceleration plans and implementing antenatal and postnatal care guidelines.

“Other priorities include increasing access to skilled health personnel at birth and emergency obstetric care, expanding special care for small and sick newborns, and tackling the social and economic drivers of health inequities.

“More than 60 per cent of countries in the African region now report that over 80 per cent of births are attended by skilled health personnel, a significant improvement from just 28 per cent in 2010. However, progress varies across the region, with rural and crisis-affected areas continuing to face acute service shortage gaps,” it added.

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The Federal Government has facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Hospital and four private institutions to enhance the capacity of the healthcare workforce.

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The participating institutions include Nile University, Cosmopolitan University, Yangongwo College of Nursing Sciences, and Concerned Medix Foundation.

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This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Ministry’s Deputy Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Alaba Balogun on Friday.

Alaba revealed that during the signing ceremony, the Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, emphasized that the MoU aligns with the administration’s policy to expand training capacities.

Prof. Pate further highlighted that this initiative reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to increasing the training of health workers, addressing workforce gaps, and maintaining professional standards through the Regulatory and Professional Schools Division of the Hospital Services Department of the Ministry.

He stressed the government’s responsibility to tackle multiple challenges, including infrastructure, equipment, and human capital development, noting that Nigerian health workers are highly sought after due to their excellent training.

“Thankfully, because they are well-trained, we are very proud of them. If we weren’t training them, they wouldn’t have been attractive to other countries.

“Unfortunately, that has implications on the service delivery at home. So as a government, we took a progressive stance to say, look, let’s train more.

“So that even if those who are trained leave, some will stay. And even those who have gone away might come back to serve. And, that is the driving force behind this policy approval by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the Coordinating Minister pointed out.

Prof. Pate also underscored the crucial role of the private sector in achieving the government’s objectives, noting that Nigeria’s healthcare system operates as a mix of public and private institutions.

“So, the private sector has a space, and I am very pleased that you have joined hands with the National Hospital to be able to really see how the capabilities of the hospital can help you train more clinicians”, he said.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Prof. Raji Mahmud, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritizing improvements in the healthcare system.

He affirmed that the collaboration and signing of the MoU between the National Hospital and private institutions would significantly expand healthcare workforce training.

Prof. Mahmud further noted that three out of the four institutions are primarily training centers focused on medical and nursing education in partnership with the National Hospital, Abuja.

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In a bid to enhance medical care for Nigerians, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed six new Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) for Federal Hospitals across the country.

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Among those appointed is Dr. Ikrama Hassan, who will now serve as the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lafia, Nasarawa State. Dr. Hassan, a seasoned consultant physician, previously served as the Medical Director of Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital before its elevation to a teaching hospital.

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The full list of newly appointed CMDs includes:

Prof. Olusegun Sylvester Ojo – Federal Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State.
Prof. Yusuf Mohammed Abdullahi (Reappointed) – Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe.
Dr. Dauda Abubakar Katagum – Federal Teaching Hospital, Azare, Bauchi State.
Dr. Ikrama Hassan – Federal Teaching Hospital, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Dr. Ali Mohammed Ramat – National Orthopedic Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno State.
Dr. Haruna Abubakar Shehu – Federal Medical Centre, Kafanchan, Kaduna State.
Each appointment is for a four-year term, effective from the date of assumption of duty.

President Tinubu congratulated the appointees, urging them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and service delivery. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving medical infrastructure and ensuring quality healthcare access for all Nigerians.

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