The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) says the free caesarean section programme of President Bola Tinubu’s administration is bound to reduce high maternal deaths in the country.
The group said the programme would offset the prohibitive costs of caesarean section in private and public hospitals across the country and remove Nigeria from the list of three countries with the highest maternal deaths in the world.
Emeka Nwankpa, chairman of TMSG, and Dapo Okubanjo, secretary, in a statement on Monday, November 11, 2024, said the steps taken by the Federal Government were laudable in a country with one of the highest maternal deaths in the world.
“We are enthused that the Federal Government, through Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, has announced caesarean section would now be provided free of charge for any woman in need of it in the country.
“This initiative of the President Bola Tinubu administration is in line with efforts to make health services affordable and accessible to all Nigerians.
“But we also see it from the perspective of helping to reduce maternal mortality, which is a major problem in the country.
“And we are hopeful that all and sundry will cooperate with the federal authorities to ensure its success,” said the Group.
The programme comes under the Tinubu administration’s Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiative (MAMII) initiative.
Mr Pate explained that the new policy was designed to ensure that women who needed caesarean sections – either due to complications or as part of planned deliveries – could access the procedure without financial strains and obstacles.
“This, for us, is not only a form of subsidy but also an initiative that will take Nigeria from the unenviable list of three countries with the highest rate of maternal deaths and infant mortality in the world.
“The average cost of a caesarean section in the country ranges from N140,000 to N350,000, depending on hospital type and location, but with this new initiative expectant mothers, especially in low-income areas, can heave a sigh of relief.
“Furthermore, it is bound to improve access to proper maternal care for women in about 172 local government areas which a new report by the Health Ministry said accounts for 50 per cent of maternal deaths in the country,” said TMSG.
It added that the initiative would also go a long way to increase the rate of caesarean sections in the country, which was far lower than the global rate.
“We find it worrisome that Nigeria has a caesarean rate of two per cent according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), compared to the global average of 21 percent.
“This is said to be one of the reasons why about 58,000 women, who could have easily survived childbirth, die annually from complications, especially in the hands of unskilled birth attendants in rural areas.
“It is heartwarming that the Health Ministry has also taken that into consideration with its plan to employ about 120,000 health workers to support primary healthcare,” said the Group.
The TMSG also urged the sub-national governments to key into the initiative and join hands with President Tinubu’s administration to ensure its success.
The WHO said with 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, Nigeria had the third-highest maternal mortality rate in the world.
A WHO report showed that Nigeria is third after South Sudan with 1,223 and Chad with 1,063.
