Nigeria Health Watch
By Dr. Chibugo Okoli (Guest Writer) The maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria is estimated at 512 per 100,000 live births whilst non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for 27% of total deaths in 2008. The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has demonstrated its commitment to address NCDs via the creation of an NCDs division, the development of […]
We have heard the statistics countless times. Nigeria accounts for nearly 20% of global maternal deaths according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to the Nigeria Demographic Health Survey 2018, only a mere 39% of live births occur in health facilities, with 61% of births taking place outside of a health facility. According to […]
Maternal mortality, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days following the delivery or termination of a pregnancy. The WHO notes that Nigeria alone accounts for nearly 20% of global maternal deaths. Globally, maternal mortality remains a major public health concern, especially in poorly […]
By Taiwo Adebulu (Lead Writer) “This article was produced in collaboration with Maternal Figures, a database of maternal health interventions implemented in Nigeria.” Esther is pregnant and walked into the Radiodiagnostic centre at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute Metta, Lagos State. “Ultrasound?” one of the nurses asked as soon as she sat. She nodded […]
No woman should die while giving life… These words took on a whole new meaning for me when I lost my sister-in-law a few hours after she gave birth to her third child. She died from excessive bleeding after delivery (postpartum hemorrhage) and although the hospital said that they had done all they could, I’ve […]
Lead Writers: Ugonna Ofonagoro, Michael Atima and McHenry Igwe It was a long drive to get to Odenigbo community in Ikwo Local Government Area (LGA), Ebonyi State. The untarred road was bumpy, full of potholes, and wound through thick vegetation on both sides, with only sparse signs of development the further we travelled. Odenigbo is […]
When Abiodun Adereni founded HelpMum two years ago, his dream was to provide basic health information to pregnant women and to help tackle maternal and infant mortality in Nigeria. Now, faced with the harsh reality of decreasing maternal and child mortality in the country, Adereni feels much more work needs to be done to achieve […]
Thirty years ago, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) established World Population Day, an annual event observed on July 11 every year. The world’s population had hit just over five billion people two years earlier and to commemorate that, World Population Day aimed to raise awareness and to take action on various population issues, such […]
“In Rwanda, a combination of community-based health insurance, community health workers, and good external partnerships led to the steepest reductions in maternal mortality ever recorded.” — President Kagame of Rwanda at the WHO General Assembly in Geneva, 2018 Despite several discussions around “maternal mortality”, how much do people really understand about this term? Why would the president […]
Ever wondered how a Nigerian startup came to be listed as one of Time Magazine’s 50 Genius Companies of 2018, standing alongside global giants like Amazon, Apple, Merck and AirBnB? The company’s founders did this by studying a traditional cultural motherhood practice found in most parts of Nigeria… and they then digitised it. When a […]
The ancient city of Zaria in Kaduna State is one of the most famous cities in Northern Nigeria. Aside from its cultural history, it is home to some of the country’s most prestigious educational institutions; the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU); the Nigerian Military School (NMS) and the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH). Less well […]
‘Delivering a baby is what gives me joy the most’, explains 26-year-old midwife Aliya Lawal Adam as she takes time out to attend to her one-year-old daughter, her third child, outside the delivery room of the Akilu Memorial Hospital, the only Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Unguwar Galadima, Madobi Local Government Area, Kano State. Aliya […]
Every single day, Nigeria loses about 145 women of childbearing age, making her the second largest contributor to the maternal mortality rate in the world, according to UNICEF. When this statistic came out earlier this year, it elicited different responses from different people online, and started up a debate among friends, co-workers and total strangers […]
There are many reasons why women and men should advocate and use the female condom. Like the male condom, the female condom prevents unwanted pregnancy and protects from Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) such as HIV. In addition, the female condom gives women the option to take contraception into their own hands and allows men to […]