First Lady Seeks Reduction In Maternal, Newborn Deaths

The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, has called on governments, donors and communities to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths. 

Tinubu made the call on Monday in a statement issued by her Media Aide, Busola Kukoyi on the occasion of World Health Day, just as she emphasised on the critical importance of investing in maternal and newborn health as a cornerstone of sustainable development.

She therefore highlighted the alarming death rates of women and newborns due to preventable complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.

“As we commemorate the World Health Day 2025, with the theme, “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures, let us all remember that investing in maternal and newborn health is not only a moral responsibility but also a fundamental cornerstone of sustainable development.

“Every day, far too many women and newborns lose their lives due to preventable complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal period.

“No mother should have to risk her life to bring a child into the world, and no newborn should be denied a fair chance at survival.

“On this World Health Day, let us all strive to create a world where mothers can safely give birth and children can live healthy to reach their full potential.

She further applauded all health workers in the country for their great sacrifice that made the world a healthy place.

WHD is celebrated on April 7 every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, says the African region has made progress in lowering maternal mortality since 2000 but needs a 12-fold increase in the annual reduction rate to reach the Sustainable Development Goals target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030.

The new estimates by the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Interagency Group showed that inspite of a 40 per cent decline in maternal mortality, from 727 to 442 deaths per 100 000 live births between 2000 and 2023, the region still accounts for 70 per cent of global maternal deaths.

WHO said each year, an estimated 178 000 mothers and 1 million newborns die in the Africa region – many from preventable causes.

At the current annual reduction rate of 2.2 per cent between 2000 and 2023, the WHO said, the region is projected to have nearly 350 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030, five times higher than the SDG target of fewer than 70 deaths.

It said although stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates have declined by 30 per cent and 33 per cent respectively between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for 47 per cent of stillbirths and 46 per cent of global newborn deaths.

The region, it said, is projected to record neonatal mortality rate of about twice the SDG target of at least as low as 12 deaths per 1000 live births by 2030.