FG Distributes 215,000 Maternal Kits, Targets 2.9m Pregnant Women by 2028

 FG Distributes 215,000 Maternal Kits, Targets 2.9m Pregnant Women by 2028

The Federal Government has distributed 215,000 maternal health kits to vulnerable pregnant women nationwide as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s high maternal and newborn mortality rate, with about 2.9 million pregnant women and families targeted to benefit from the intervention by 2028.

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who flagged off the distribution in Abuja on Monday, September 14, 2026, also called for stronger collaboration among federal, state and local governments, traditional and religious institutions, development partners and philanthropists to address the country’s maternal and newborn mortality crisis.

The intervention, implemented under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), also includes 40,000 maternal food-support packs and 40,000 sets of essential newborn clothing.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, Tinubu said pregnancy and childbirth should be periods of hope and joy rather than a threat to women’s lives.

“This occasion represents a further step towards ensuring that every Nigerian child has a healthy start in life and that no woman loses her life while giving birth,” she said.

The First Lady said the scale of the challenges confronting pregnant women and newborns required collective action, particularly to ensure that interventions reached women living in poor, underserved and hard-to-reach communities.

She explained that the latest distribution represented the second batch of MAMA kits, following the distribution of 110,000 kits in 2025.

According to her, the incentives are designed to encourage economically disadvantaged pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics, prepare adequately for childbirth and remain connected to healthcare services after delivery.

She said the maternal food-support packs recognise the importance of maternal nutrition to a healthy pregnancy, safe delivery and healthy newborn, while the newborn clothing is intended to ensure that every Nigerian child is welcomed with dignity, warmth and care.

Tinubu said the initiative aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on Health and was designed to address preventable maternal and newborn deaths through increased awareness, emergency care and improved referral systems.

She added that the programme would be expanded to additional local government areas where uptake of MAMII services remained low.

The First Lady also highlighted other interventions she has supported in maternal and child healthcare, including the provision of professional kits to midwives, retraining of frontline health workers and advocacy against mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.

She urged state and local governments, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and philanthropists to support the Federal Government in ensuring that the materials reached women who needed them most.

Government targets 30% reduction in maternal mortality

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the intervention was part of a broader Federal Government strategy to expand access to essential healthcare and reverse the country’s high burden of preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.

Pate said the government’s sector-wide approach targets a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality and a 20 per cent reduction in newborn mortality by 2028.

He added that approximately 2.9 million pregnant women and families are expected to benefit from the interventions.

According to the minister, MAMII is already being implemented in several states, with emphasis on emergency obstetric and newborn care, transportation, referral systems and strengthening primary healthcare delivery.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, described Nigeria’s maternal mortality burden as “one of the most sobering realities of our nation.”

He said figures presented at the event showed that Nigeria accounts for nearly 39 per cent of global maternal deaths.

Salako said the Federal Government was intensifying efforts to expand antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, emergency medical services and timely referrals, particularly for women facing poverty, distance and other barriers to healthcare.

He assured Nigerian women that government was strengthening interventions to bring life-saving services closer to them.

“Help continues to come and help is very, very close, and it is coming faster,” he said.

WHO urges stronger domestic financing

The World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr Pavel Ursu, said the success of the intervention would ultimately be determined by whether it improved women’s access to quality healthcare and contributed to saving lives.

Ursu stressed the importance of primary healthcare in bringing life-saving services closer to families and connecting communities to the wider health system.

“Data should show us who is being reached, where gaps remain and where action is most important,” he said, adding that implementation would be as important as the ambition of the programme.

He called for greater ownership and domestic financing by state governments, noting that while development partners could support Nigeria, sustainable progress must ultimately be driven by Nigerian institutions.

“Lasting progress must be rooted in Nigerian institutions, budgets, and accountability,” he said.

The WHO representative also commended healthcare workers for their role in translating government policies and investments into life-saving services for women and families.

642,000 pregnant women moved to healthcare facilities

The Federal Government said about 642,000 pregnant women had so far been moved to healthcare facilities within their communities, while more than 85,000 women had been transported for emergency care.

It added that more than 93,000 women had benefited from free life-saving surgical procedures nationwide, with the interventions contributing to a reported 22 per cent reduction in maternal mortality in facilities equipped to provide the services.

More than 250 health facilities across Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano and Katsina states are currently implementing MAMII.

The government said more than 42,000 women and 1,700 newborns had directly benefited from emergency obstetric and newborn care under the programme, while nearly 79,000 beneficiaries had been transported to health facilities.

It also reported that antenatal attendance and facility deliveries increased by about 20 per cent within one quarter in areas covered by the programme.

Senate seeks sustained health-sector funding

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Banigo, commended the Federal Government for prioritising maternal and newborn survival but stressed the need for sustained legislative and institutional support.

Banigo called for increased funding for the health sector, improved primary healthcare facilities and wider access to emergency services, stressing that reducing maternal deaths would require close collaboration between the executive and legislature.

Other development partners, including the World Bank, also emphasised sustained financing, accountability and stronger health systems.

They noted that the distribution of material incentives must be accompanied by functional healthcare facilities, skilled personnel, effective referral systems and quality medical services.

The flag-off ceremony was attended by senior government officials, lawmakers, health-sector agencies, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, healthcare workers and beneficiaries.

Among those present were the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud; Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye; Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri; and Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Prof. Muyi Aina.

Representatives of the Sultan of Sokoto, Christian Association of Nigeria, UNICEF and other development partners also attended the event.