The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, says Nigeria has recorded a 17 per cent reduction in maternal deaths in 172 high-burden local government areas.

Mr Pate disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, at a news conference to announce the commencement of the second edition of the Joint Annual Review (JAR) of the health sector, which will hold from Wednesday to Friday.

According to him, the reduction signals a major stride in the country’s drive to “crush maternal mortality.”

He said the reduction was recorded under the Maternal and Infant Mortality Initiative (MAMI), a flagship intervention inaugurated in 2024 targeting areas that account for more than half of Nigeria’s maternal deaths.

“There is good news in the Nigerian health sector. In the 172 local governments, which accounted for more than half the maternal deaths in Nigeria, we have seen a 17 per cent reduction in maternal deaths and a 12 per cent reduction in newborn deaths,” he said.

The minister described the result as proof that targeted collaboration among the federal, state, and local governments, along with civil society and private actors, was yielding positive outcomes.

Mr Pate said the 2025 JAR, with the theme “All Hands, One Mission: Bringing Nigeria’s Health Sector to Light,” would provide an opportunity to take stock of the country’s progress since the inauguration of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative in 2023.

The review will also feature the signing of an updated health sector compact that will, for the first time, include local governments as key stakeholders.

“The new compact will bring in local government areas, private sector players, traditional and religious leaders, and civil society organisations, in line with the National Health Act 2014,” he explained.

He added that 37 out of the 41 key performance indicators had been met, an indication that progress is possible when all stakeholders work together.

“More than 15,000 community-based health workers have been recruited across those local governments, 435 facilities revitalised, and skilled birth attendance has increased significantly,” he said.

Mr Pate said that performance data showed improvement in several areas of maternal and reproductive health in 2025, including antenatal care, family planning uptake, and facility-based deliveries.

According to him, 50 per cent of women of reproductive age now use modern contraceptives, while antenatal care coverage has risen to 56 per cent in 2025 from 39 per cent in 2023.

He added that primary healthcare utilisation also improved significantly, with visits to facilities supported by the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) rising from N10 million in the first quarter of 2024 to N45 million in the second quarter of 2025.

The minister further revealed that 35 out of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory had conducted their own performance reviews, with 100 per cent of states aligning their annual operational plans with national health priorities.

Mr Pate noted that confidence in the health system was on the rise, with about two-thirds of Nigerians expressing belief in the government’s capacity to manage health emergencies, according to the 2025 survey.

He, however, acknowledged that the affordability of healthcare and expansion of health insurance coverage remained major challenges.

The minister commended the contributions of health workers, development partners, and state governments in driving the country’s progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The Joint Annual Review serves as an accountability platform for tracking Nigeria’s health sector performance and feeds into the National Council on Health, the country’s highest health policy-making body.

(NAN)