By Bunmi Yekini
As Nigeria joins the global community in observing Safe Motherhood Week, we shine a spotlight on the crucial intersection of family planning and maternal health in safeguarding the well-being of mothers and their children across the nation.
Under the theme “Empowering Women through Family Planning and Maternal Health,” this day serves as a call to action to prioritize accessible healthcare services for all Nigerian women.
This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of maternal health and the need for sustainable investments to ensure the well-being of Mother and Child. The National Safe Motherhood Day primarily focuses on ensuring all women receive the care they need to be safe throughout their pregnancy. One of the major objectives of the national safe motherhood initiative program is to improve quality and increase accessibility to family planning and maternal healthcare services by all women of child bearing age.
Despite progress made in maternal healthcare, Nigeria continues to face challenges in reducing maternal mortality rates and ensuring universal access to family planning services. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the country accounted for approximately 20% of global maternal deaths in 2017, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve maternal health outcomes.
Family planning plays a pivotal role in empowering Nigerian women to make informed decisions about their reproductive health. By expanding access to contraception and maternal care services, we can mitigate the risks associated with unintended pregnancies, reduce maternal mortality rates, and enhance overall maternal well-being.
Indeed, some of the pillars of safe motherhood include family planning, antenatal care, obstetric care, post-natal care, post abortion care and control of STI/HIV/AIDS. For Dr. Taiwo Johnson,
The Challenge Initiative team lead, “family planning is the cornerstone of maternal health, offering women the autonomy to make informed choices about their reproductive futures. Through accessible family planning services, we empower women to navigate their maternal journey with dignity and ensure safer outcomes for both mother and child.”
The Nigeria government’s commitment to the national safe motherhood initiative underscores its efforts to improve the quality and accessibility of maternal healthcare services for all Nigerian women of childbearing age. However, these commitments are not evenly distributed across all levels of governance. It is only through sustained strategic investments in healthcare infrastructure, capacity building, and community outreach programs, the country can address the underlying determinants of maternal mortality and promote healthy pregnancies.
DevComs Program Director, Akin Jimoh noted that “safe motherhood begins with empowering women to plan and space their pregnancies according to their health, economic, and social circumstances. By prioritizing family planning, we not only safeguard maternal health but also pave the way for stronger, healthier families and communities, contributing to a brighter future for all.”
Safe Motherhood is concerned with maintaining the health of the woman and her new-born throughout the process of pre-conception, pregnancy, childbirth and the post-delivery period.
On this Safe Motherhood Week, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to advancing family planning and maternal health in Nigeria. By working together across sectors, the country can create an enabling environment where every woman has the opportunity to access comprehensive healthcare services and realize her right to a safe and healthy motherhood experience.