President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Alhassan Yahaya, has charged media professionals in the country to actively help in combating the rising maternal mortality rate of 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births through strategic advocacy and reporting.
Speaking at a workshop organised by Pathfinder International for journalists from Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and the FCT, Yahaya said journalists could help reduce maternal deaths by 40% through focused advocacy on family planning and maternal health initiatives.
“As journalists, we have a key role to play in reducing maternal mortality in our country, especially through family planning,” Yahaya stated, identifying hemorrhage as a primary cause of maternal deaths.
The NUJ president highlighted the critical need to integrate family planning with maternal and child health services, praising Pathfinders International for enhancing journalists’ capacity in health reporting.
Yahaya outlined several funding mechanisms journalists should champion, including the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and counterpart funding systems. He noted his state (Gombe) pioneering role as the first in Nigeria to release counterpart funding to UNFPA for reproductive health commodities.
“Let’s be reviewing budget performances every quarter,” he urged, encouraging journalists to acknowledge modest funding releases while advocating for increased healthcare allocations.
Despite poor remuneration in the media sector, Yahaya emphasised that journalists could meaningfully contribute to reduce maternal mortality by engaging with health commissioners and primary healthcare executives.
He called for active participation in government budget processes, urging media professionals to advocate for enhanced healthcare funding during annual budget cycles to “change the narrative” on maternal health.
Senior Media and Communication Officer at Pathfinder International Nigeria, Bayo Ewuola, said the workshop aimed to deepen journalists’ and social media influencers’ understanding of family planning and maternal health priorities, challenges, and opportunities across states.
