172 LGAs Account For 55% Of Maternal Deaths In Nigeria – FG

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has revealed that 172 out of the country’s 774 local government areas account for 55 per cent of maternal deaths, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions in these high-burden areas.

The Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, disclosed this during the agency’s 2025 First Quarter Press Briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, which coincided with African Vaccination Week.

He highlighted the alarming state of maternal mortality in the country, with Nigeria currently recording 512 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.

However, he said the Federal Ministry of Health was championing the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII). This flagship programme aims to identify and support pregnant women in priority areas throughout their pregnancies, reducing the risks of morbidity and mortality during childbirth.

Dr. Aina emphasised that while every life matters, the government must focus on these high-burden regions to make a meaningful impact. So far, MAMII has been launched in six states—Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Katsina, with several other states in advanced planning stages, he explained.

“We have already enumerated 14,085 pregnant women across 59 LGAs in five states, and enumeration will continue in other locations,” Dr. Aina stated.

According to him, the initiative has seen notable improvements in service delivery, with over 20 million patient encounters reported in primary health care centres each quarter.

In 2024 alone, six million pregnant women received folic acid and micronutrient supplementation, while 43 million children received Vitamin A.

Dr Aina added that more than six million children were fully vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases.