Nigerian states launch initiatives to reduce maternal and newborn mortality

State governments in Nigeria are implementing new measures to combat maternal and newborn mortality. In Niger State, the government has inaugurated N100 million worth of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) equipment. The initiative targets strategic facilities, including the Umaru Sanda Ndayako General Hospital and the Federal Medical Centre in Bida, which serve a combined population of nearly two million people.

In Sokoto State, authorities are targeting 23 local government areas with interventions including free delivery kits and solar-powered lighting for maternity units. These efforts follow an assessment by the United Nations Population Fund, funded by the European Union, which identified gaps in emergency obstetric care. The Sokoto government aims to address delays in seeking medical care, reaching facilities, and receiving treatment to improve health outcomes.