FG to Offer Free Cesarean Sections for Poor and Vulnerable Women

The Nigerian Federal Government announces a new initiative to provide free cesarean sections for impoverished and vulnerable women, aiming to improve maternal healthcare and reduce risks during childbirth.

The Federal Ministry of Health has introduced a program to offer free cesarean sections to women who are poor and vulnerable nationwide.

The Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) was launched at the Joint Annual Health Review (JAR) hosted by the ministry in Abuja.

Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, characterized the initiative as a bold commitment to decreasing maternal and newborn mortality throughout Nigeria.

He stated that a key aspect of the initiative is its inclusion of services offered through both public and private facilities accredited by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

The minister stated that maternal mortality rates are still unacceptably high, with 172 local governments accounting for more than half of these deaths.

He believes that concentrating resources on these high-need areas will allow MAMII to address the most pressing needs. He also mentioned that, in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and State Health Insurance Agencies (SHIAs), NHIA will oversee the reimbursement process to ensure providers from both sectors can sustainably deliver these essential services.

Professor Pate highlighted the essential role community health workers play in this mission, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s initiative to recruit 120,000 additional health workers to bolster primary care throughout Nigeria.