The Federal Government has commenced the distribution of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) equipment valued at nearly $200,000 per state to about 252 health facilities across 30 states, as part of efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in Nigeria.
The intervention, launched under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, is expected to strengthen emergency maternal and newborn services in secondary healthcare facilities nationwide.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate disclosed that over 40,000 women had already benefited from life-saving interventions provided through facilities participating in the programme.
Pate who was represented by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina described the initiative as part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and ensuring safer childbirth outcomes for women and newborns across the country.
He said: “Over 40,000 women have already accessed timely life-saving interventions across our CEmONC facilities. These are not just numbers; these are our sisters, our mothers, our neighbours who have been given a second chance at life.
According to him, the newly distributed equipment was designed to address specific healthcare gaps identified by states.
“Nearly 252 facilities across 30 states are receiving equipment that will bridge critical service delivery gaps. This is proof that when we combine resources, align priorities and move in one direction, we can deliver results that will reverberate across the nation.”
Pate explained that the intervention was tailored to individual state needs, with some states prioritising newborn care while others focused on oxygen supply shortages.
“One state said the biggest gap is newborn care, so you saw incubators and baby warmers. Some states identified oxygen shortages, so they received oxygen concentrators. These are very targeted and deliberate interventions.”
He, however, stressed that equipment alone would not resolve the country’s maternal mortality challenges, calling on state governments to strengthen staffing, infrastructure and referral systems in healthcare facilities.
“We need to ensure these facilities are not just equipped but truly functional. The secondary level is perhaps even worse affected with staffing gaps than every other level,” he said.
Aina also warned against diversion of the medical equipment meant for public healthcare facilities.
“These are hard-earned resources. States must ensure they are deployed quickly and not diverted to private facilities. The Federal Government will put measures in place to track and hold people accountable,” he added.
The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, said the intervention marked a major milestone in strengthening the nation’s health system and reducing the financial burden associated with maternal healthcare.
Ohiri who was Represented Dr. Nnena Kalu disclosed that the NHIA had supported CEmONC services in 245 facilities nationwide since the programme began in 2024.
“Since implementation in 2024, we have 245 protected facilities and over 45,000 claims so far. Each of those statistics represents a life saved and a future protected.”
The NHIA boss added that neonatal care services had also been expanded in about 10 facilities with more than 3,000 claims recorded.
While noting that “There are 3,000 lives and babies saved and families protected,” he urged state governments to complement the intervention with skilled manpower, reliable electricity supply and efficient referral systems.
“We also need strong referral systems, reliable supply chains, regular power supply and sustained community awareness. All this is needed to have functional healthcare facilities where lives can be saved.”
Earlier, the National Coordinator of the SWAp Coordination Office, Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, said the initiative reflected the implementation of the health sector compact introduced under the Tinubu administration.
He explained that the programme was structured around sustainability, accountability and value for money.
“One of the biggest operations we run is a pay-for-results instrument. States do the heavy lifting of achieving priorities while we reward them for those results,” Umar-Sadiq explained.
He also defended the quality of Nigerian healthcare workers despite increasing migration abroad.
“Our doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory technicians are highly desired across the world. If they were not competent, they would not be recruited in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.”
In his remarks, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, said the SWAp framework was helping states improve healthcare delivery through collaboration and performance-based incentives.
“What today represents is the incentive framework. We are providing equipment for CEmONC while states provide infrastructure, civil works and human resources. This alignment is minimising duplication and improving efficiency.”
He added that some states had already introduced improved welfare packages for healthcare workers to reduce migration overseas.
“A number of states have increased salaries and introduced additional allowances to minimise the exodus of healthcare workers from the country,” Filani said.