In a move to reduce maternal deaths and improve childbirth outcomes, the Nigerian government has launched six national policy documents aimed at ensuring safer delivery for women across Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, unveiled the documents in Abuja on Wednesday in commemoration of the 2025 Safe Motherhood Day, themed, “Innovating for safer birth: A collective responsibility to crash maternal mortality.”
Safe Motherhood Day is an annual event marked on 11 April to create awareness and generate public dialogue on the best strategies and interventions that promote maternal and newborn health and survival within an integrated continuum of care.
Globally, Nigeria remains one of the most affected countries, accounting for about 20 per cent of maternal and child deaths, according to the World Bank.
The newly launched policy documents include a national Safe Motherhood Strategy, clinical protocols for managing postpartum haemorrhage, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, essential gynaecological skills manuals, a national strategy to improve the quality of reproductive and maternal care, and a training manual on managing obstetric fistula.
Describing safe motherhood as both a moral and developmental priority, Mr Pate said no woman should lose her life while giving birth and no child should enter the world only to face preventable suffering.
He explained that this year’s slogan, “Care for Moms, Hope for the Babies,” reflects both a rallying cry and a national obligation.
He said that maternal and newborn deaths have long threatened families and undermined development, noting that the new policy rollout is intended to change that narrative.
Pate emphasised that under the Health Sector Renewal Initiative, the government is already taking concrete steps to fix systemic challenges that have made childbirth risky for many women.
According to Pate, the national Safe Motherhood Strategy (2024–2028), outlines multi-level interventions to safeguard maternal health.
Other documents launched include guidelines for managing postpartum haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, as well as updated manuals to enhance the skills of healthcare workers in reproductive health.
A new quality-of-care framework was also introduced, aimed at promoting respectful, high-quality care for women, children, and adolescents.
