Maternal Mortality Rate: Nigeria Recording 225 Deaths Daily – Report
The Maternal and Research Health Collective (MRHC) has revealed a dire maternal mortality crisis in Nigeria.
A report released on Saturday unveiled a shocking statistic with an average of 225 women succumb to maternal mortality every day in the country.
This alarming number is three times higher than India’s maternal mortality rate, despite India’s population being five times greater than Nigeria’s, painting a grim picture of maternal health in Nigeria.
This development led to a prompted the Founder and Chairperson of MRHC, Professor Bosede Afolabi, to take urgent action.
Speaking at an awareness and fundraising event held in Muri Okunola Park, Lagos, she passionately advocated pregnant women who cannot afford healthcare services to register with MRHC.
The event’s purpose was to raise awareness and collect funds for 5,000 vulnerable women in Nigeria.
Professor Afolabi highlighted the urgency of the campaign, stating, “This event is the combination of a one-month long programme to raise awareness and funds for maternal mortality in Nigeria. It is held to prevent maternal mortality and reduce the numbers because Nigeria has the highest number of women dying from pregnancy and childbirth in the whole world.
“In 2020, 82,000 pregnant Nigerian women died from pregnancy and childbirth. The numbers are three times more than India, which is about five times our population.”
The MRHC’s campaign offers a ray of hope in the face of this alarming maternal mortality crisis, striving to save the lives of countless Nigerian women.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.