The Nigerian authorities has designated 154 well being services nationwide to supply free remedy for girls with obstetric issues.
The Coordinating Minister of Well being and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on Friday throughout an interview on Channels Tv’s programme tagged ‘Politics In the present day’.
Mr Pate, a professor, stated these services will cater to girls experiencing well being challenges throughout being pregnant, labour, supply, or the postpartum interval, which may have an effect on the well-being of each mom and child.
He famous that the designated services have ample manpower, excessive requirements, and trendy gear to ship high quality care.
“The federal government has authorised free remedy of emergency obstetric issues for girls within the empanel services, and that features cesarean sections,” he stated.
“So, it’s not solely cesarean sections, extreme bleeding, obstruction, different issues of being pregnant. If a lady will get to a facility that’s licensed, the ability can be reimbursed for the care.”
Obstetric issues are well being issues that happen throughout being pregnant, childbirth, or the postpartum interval, probably affecting the mom, child, or each.
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These issues can vary from delicate to life-threatening and will require medical intervention. Some frequent obstetric issues embody: preeclampsia, preterm labour and gestational diabetes.VVF surgical procedures
Mr Pate additionally highlighted the federal government’s dedication to addressing Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) by providing free remedy in 18 centres throughout Nigeria.
He famous that VVF—a childbirth-related complication—impacts a minimum of 10,000 girls yearly, leaving many affected by steady urine leakage, which regularly results in extreme stigma and social isolation.
“The care is surgical care that requires competency and facility that is aware of the right way to deal with them, but it surely prices cash,” he stated.
“For a really very long time, many ladies suffered from that with out the chance to have these repairs. We took it upon ourselves to make sure whoever has VVF could have a surgical restore and that can be paid for by the federal government.”
The minister added that about 2,000 girls have already been repaired and it’s very touching seeing them expressing gratitude for the life-changing alternative that they’ve.
VVF stays a major well being challenge in Nigeria, significantly in rural and underserved communities. The situation is usually linked to extended obstructed labour, early marriage, and restricted entry to high quality maternal healthcare.
Prioritising maternal care
Mr Pate emphasised that the well being and wellbeing of Nigerians are central to President Bola Tinubu’s imaginative and prescient for the nation.
Recognising the alarming charge of maternal deaths, he stated the administration has made it a precedence to scale back fatalities linked to obstetric issues by guaranteeing that no girl dies on account of monetary constraints in accessing life-saving care.
“I can not emphasise this sufficient, the president may be very clear in his thoughts that the well being and wellbeing of Nigerians is core by his personal agenda and imaginative and prescient for the nation.”
Mr Pate stated as a part of ongoing well being sector reforms, the federal authorities has mobilised assets in collaboration with the Nationwide Well being Insurance coverage Authority (NHIA) to make sure that empanelled healthcare services can present maternal care with out value changing into a burden to the ladies who want it.
Maternal mortality
It’s not information that Nigeria’s maternal mortality charge is without doubt one of the highest on this planet.
The United Nations Financial Fee for Africa says that one in seven world maternal deaths happens in Nigeria. That’s greater than 50,000 girls dying per 12 months in Nigeria.
Well being specialists, nonetheless, stated about 95 per cent of deaths throughout childbirth are preventable.
As a part of its efforts to scale back the nation’s maternal mortality charge, the federal government had in November 2024 introduced that Cesarean sections will now be offered freed from cost to pregnant girls.
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The coordinating minister stated maternal mortality stays unacceptably excessive, with 172 LGAs accounting for over 50 per cent of maternal deaths within the nation.
He defined that by focusing assets on these high-burden areas, the brand new initiative will deal with the best areas of want.
Mr Pate famous that the NHIA, in collaboration with the Nationwide Major Well being Care Growth Company, and State Well being Insurance coverage Businesses, will handle the reimbursement course of, guaranteeing that suppliers throughout each sectors can sustainably ship these important providers.
Under is the total checklist of free Complete Emergency Obstetric Care and VVF services as reported by Channels TV: 
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