The Federal Government today launched guidelines on safe motherhood, targeting at least seven million pregnant women, and at least six million newborn births annually.
Speaking at the launch of the guidelines, the Labour Care Guide, and the Guidelines for Community Use of Misoprostol, to commemorate the 2024 Safe Motherhood Day in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, noted that it is possible to achieve safe motherhood in the country.
The National Safe Motherhood Day is an annual event marked on April to create awareness and generate public dialogue on the best strategies and interventions that promote maternal and newborn health and survival within an integrated continuum of care.
Safe motherhood is to improve the life expectancy and quality of life of Nigerian women through the provision of quality maternal and newborn services while ensuring safety through properly supervised pregnancy, skilled attendance at birth, and post-delivery care at all levels of the healthcare delivery system, thereby reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.
This year’s Safe Motherhood Day is themed, ‘Investing in maternal health for a sustainable future.’
The minister who also launched the calibrated drape noted that the introduction of the drape is an effective tool in significantly reducing postpartum haemorrhage by accurately measuring blood loss during childbirth, thus leading to early detection.
The United Nations Population Fund Resident Representative in Nigeria, Dr Gifty Addico lamented that Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios globally, with thousands of women dying each year due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related complications.
Dr Addico, who was represented by the organisation’s Gender and Reproductive Health Specialist, Dr Musa Elisha declared, “It is important for all pregnant women to deliver at health facilities where there are skilled attendants and appropriate equipment.
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