The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Muyi Aina, has raised concerns over the high maternal and child mortality rates in Nigeria, particularly in the northern region.
Speaking on Monday in Abuja during a two-day engagement meeting on vaccination, maternal, and child health with religious leaders from northern Nigeria, Dr. Aina highlighted the alarming number of preventable deaths occurring daily due to pregnancy complications and childhood diseases.
The meeting, organised by the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development with support from the NPHCDA, aimed to strengthen the involvement of religious leaders in addressing health challenges affecting women and children.
“Every day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 children under the age of five and 145 women of childbearing age,” Aina revealed. “Most of these deaths are happening in northern Nigeria.”
He also expressed concern over the resurgence of the circulating variant poliovirus Type 2 (cVPV2), which has been detected in 70 cases across 46 local government areas in 14 northern states.
The NPHCDA boss attributed this outbreak to low routine immunisation rates and vaccine refusals during polio campaigns.
“This is an indication of continuous transmission of the virus due to low routine immunisation and refusal of vaccines during polio campaigns,” Aina said.
“This must change. We must ensure that every woman has access to antenatal care, every pregnancy is delivered by skilled midwives, and every child completes their routine immunisation.”
Aina called on religious leaders to make a renewed commitment to improving the health of their communities by addressing barriers to healthcare access and fostering trust between healthcare providers and the people they serve.
“We must focus on breaking down barriers to care, ensuring equitable access to services, and building trust between healthcare providers and the communities they serve,” he said.
“Together, we must work to create a system that ensures no mother or child is left behind.”
He expressed gratitude to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Most Reverend Daniel Okoh, for their continued support in mobilising religious and traditional leaders to advocate for immunisation and other primary healthcare programmes.
In his goodwill message, the Country Representative of the World Health Organisation Dr. Walter Mulombo, emphasised the importance of partnerships in achieving universal health coverage.
He noted that the engagement aligns with Nigeria’s primary healthcare approach, which aims to ensure equitable access to healthcare across communities.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Royal Highness Sa’ad Abubakar, also addressed the gathering, urging religious leaders to contribute to the development, peace, and security of the nation, noting that both health and security are essential to Nigeria’s progress.
“The Sultan Foundation’s work exemplifies the power of collaboration,” the Sultan said.
“By partnering with organisations like UNICEF, the Bill Gates Foundation, and other stakeholders, the foundation demonstrates the potential for collective impact on health, education, and economic empowerment.”
The meeting underscored the critical role of religious leaders in promoting vaccination and improving maternal and child health in the region.
