Following a reduction in maternal deaths across Lagos state, the Maternal and Reproductive Health (MRH) Collective, has announced the expansion of its flagship initiative, MamaBase, to Kaduna state, with a goal of reaching 10,000 vulnerable pregnant women.
Acting executive director of MRH Collective, Dr. Olajumoke Oke, while speaking at the dissemination of the MamaBase Impact Report in Lagos, disclosed that Kaduna has been identified as a high-burden area for maternal deaths, making it a key focus of the programme’s second phase.
“We are now targeting 5,000 women in Lagos and 10,000 women in Kaduna. We want to concentrate our resources where the impact will be greatest — areas with the highest maternal death rates and poorest access to healthcare,” she revealed.
The maternal mortality crisis in Nigeria remains dire. According to a 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) report, Nigeria ranks second globally for the highest number of maternal deaths, with a maternal mortality ratio (MMR) of 1,047 per 100,000 live births. In 2020, the country accounted for 28.5 per cent of global maternal deaths.
“These are not just statistics. Each number represents a life cut short and a family left grieving. MamaBase was developed to change this reality — starting with the women most at risk,” Oke stated.
The decision to expand MamaBase into Kaduna is rooted in data. MRH Collective’s research identified Kaduna as one of the states with alarming maternal health indicators, particularly among women in low-income and rural communities. “Kaduna presents both a challenge and an opportunity. By working closely with local stakeholders, community leaders, and health facilities, we aim to create sustainable change,” Oke explained.
Under the MamaBase initiative, women are tracked from pregnancy through six weeks post-delivery.
The programme uses a five-pronged MILES strategy — Mapping vulnerable communities, Identifying pregnant women, Linking them to health services, Engaging them with support, and Supporting their consistent antenatal attendance and skilled delivery care. From October 2023 to 2024, MamaBase registered 7,883 women in Lagos. The programme achieved a 60 per cent antenatal care completion rate and an impressive 99.9 per cent survival rate among participants — results MRH Collective hopes to replicate in Kaduna.
“These outcomes prove that grassroots, data-driven solutions can save lives. The key is community engagement, especially in areas where mistrust and misinformation hinder healthcare access,” Oke stated. She noted that MamaBase’s success in Lagos was built on partnerships with the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Ministries of Health, NGOs, religious leaders, and ward health committees.
Despite improvements in Nigeria’s primary healthcare system, Dr. Oke pointed out that indirect costs — like transport, lab tests, and registration — remain barriers to maternal care. “Many women still die because they can’t afford to get to the clinic,” she said. To address these issues in Kaduna, MRH Collective is advocating for greater investment in mobile clinics, transportation infrastructure, and health insurance awareness. “Kaduna’s vast geography and rural spread demand innovative outreach strategies,” she added.
As phase two of the initiative gets underway, MRH Collective is calling for more public-private partnerships, better funding for maternal health, and stronger policy support from government at all levels. “Childbirth should not be a death sentence. In Kaduna and across Nigeria, we must build a future where every woman survives pregnancy and childbirth. That’s the change MamaBase is working to make — one mother at a time,” Oke stressed.
At the event, stakeholders including development partners, government officials, and media professionals were urged to rally behind the campaign to end preventable maternal deaths. “Maternal health should not depend on where a woman lives or how much she earns. MamaBase is more than a project — it is a movement powered by empathy, data, and action,” CEO of the Sterling One Foundation, a partner of MRH Collective. Olapeju Ibekwe averred.
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