Experts call for improved medical care for mothers, newborns

As the world marks the 2025 World Health Day, health experts in Nigeria say the country’s struggling health system offers little hope for mothers and newborns.

The experts spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

They expressed concern that persistent gaps in the nation’s primary healthcare (PHC) delivery, poor infrastructure, and rising medical tourism undermined any real progress toward ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths.

The World Health Day is marked annually on 7 April. This year’s campaign focuses on improving maternal and newborn health and survival with the theme, “Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures”.

Mustafa Lawal, a virologist, said that while the theme is apt, it exposes Nigeria’s systemic failures.

Mr Lawal decried the rising rate of medical tourism among Nigerians, especially government officials, saying it reflects lack of confidence in the health system.

“How can we talk of hopeful futures when our PHCs are poorly equipped, underfunded, and understaffed?” he said.

He lamented that many rural women still give birth in unsafe conditions.

“Top officials seek treatment abroad while the average Nigerian cannot access basic care. This double standard is dangerous for national health security,” he said.

Citing a 2024 report by the Nigerian Medical Association, Mr Lawal said that over 40,000 Nigerians traveled abroad for medical care last year, costing the country over one billion dollars.

While the federal government has pledged to build and renovate thousands of PHCs under the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), experts said quality should take precedence over numbers.

Zainab Yusuf, a family physician, emphasised the need to strengthen existing PHCs before expanding infrastructure.

“We have PHCs without water, electricity, or skilled birth attendants. Building more without fixing the existing ones is like pouring water into a basket,” she said.

According to Yusuf, reducing maternal and newborn deaths begins with training midwives, improving PHC services, and ensuring access to essential drugs and supplies.

She said that the 2025 World Health Day theme underscored the importance of equitable access to quality healthcare services, regardless of socioeconomic status, gender or location.

Maimuna Abdullahi, a Health Economist, and Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist with the African Health Budget Network (AHBN), also emphasised the need for integrated healthcare systems that serve both rural and urban underserved populations.

“Despite initiatives like the BHCPF and the Health Financing Policy, major barriers to achieving universal health coverage still persist,” she said.

The Chairman, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Ibrahim Oloriegbe, said the COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical gaps in the country’s healthcare preparedness and response.

Mr Oloriegbe noted that without universal health coverage, millions would continue to face preventable illnesses and premature death.

“Equal access to healthcare is not a luxury, it is a necessity,” he said.

He said that while Nigeria continues to grapple with funding challenges, poor insurance coverage and inadequate facilities, local organisations are making a difference at the grassroots level.

The founder of the Lafiya Wealth Initiative, Mohammed Usman, stressed the role of community-led advocacy in pushing for inclusive health policies.

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According to Usman, community mobilisation has helped to ensure that marginalised groups are not left out in the conversation on health equity.

He said that the World Health Day should serve as a wake-up call for government and stakeholders to act beyond promises and translate commitments into policy, budgeting and political will.

“Achieving health for all is not just a shared vision, it is an urgent responsibility,”he said.

“It requires collaboration across all levels of government, civil society, the private sector, and international partners.”

As Nigeria joins the global community in observing World Health Day, the message from experts, advocates, and stakeholders is clear: investing in maternal and newborn health must go beyond rhetoric.

It must be visible in actions that improve facilities, train personnel, and make healthcare accessible to every Nigerian.

(NAN)