“Access to appropriate and quality maternal healthcare and medicines during childbirth is key to reducing maternal deaths in Nigeria.” – Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch.
Nigeria Health Watch has launched the Maternal Health Advocacy and
Communications project to advocate for better access to quality maternal medicines and contraceptives in Nigeria.
The project is supported by funding from MSD for Mothers, and aims to establish a platform where key stakeholders and influencers in maternal health can collaborate and proffer solutions to challenges in maternal health service delivery in Nigeria.
According to the Trends in Maternal Mortality (2000-2017) report, 23% of global maternal deaths occur in Nigeria. This calls for immediate attention, action and collaboration by stakeholders in government, private sector and civil society.
“Despite interventions to reduce Nigeria’s alarming maternal mortality rates, there are still gaps that need to be addressed,” said Iyadunni Olubode, Nigeria Director, MSD for Mothers.
“With this project, we hope to help fill these gaps and see increased joint ownership and responsibility for maternal health outcomes among stakeholders in Nigeria.” she said.
In creating awareness about the impact of poor-quality maternal health medicines on health outcomes, Nigeria Health Watch will also collaborate with research institutions to publicize research findings on quality of maternal health medicines in Nigeria.
“Access to appropriate and quality maternal healthcare and medicines during childbirth is key to reducing maternal deaths in Nigeria. We have lost too many women due to the unavailability of quality medication during and after childbirth. Now is the time for all stakeholders to come together to ensure every Nigerian woman has access to quality maternal healthcare, especially medicines,” said Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch.
Recognising that access to quality contraceptive products and services is one of the most effective and low-cost ways to reduce maternal mortality, the maternal health advocacy and communications project, will illustrate, through a documentary, how an initiative is delivering primary health care and contraceptive services in hard-to-reach communities.
The 18-month project will elevate the critical role of quality maternal healthcare in Nigeria and drive policy change, leveraging relevant events and media to reach target audiences with key insights
from the effort.