Stakeholders have called for sustainable healthcare solutions as Nigeria launches the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) Implementation Design in Ogun and Bauchi states to combat maternal and neonatal mortality.

The stakeholders made the call on Wednesday in Abuja.

The federal government, through MAMII, aims to strengthen healthcare financing, leverage digital health solutions and enhance community participation to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.

MAMII is designed to address the five critical delays contributing to maternal deaths.

These include delay in seeking medical care and reaching a health facility.

Others are delays in receiving adequate care, taking responsibility for mortality reviews and coordination.

The MAMII Implementation Design Workshop recently took place in Abeokuta, Ogun State, with Bauchi State set to commence its implementation phase.

The stakeholders said that MAMII presented an opportunity to transform maternal and neonatal health.

They said that achieving long-term impact would require political will, sustained funding, healthcare workforce capacity-building and continuous community engagement.

A health economist, Abigail Banji, stressed the need for strong government commitment to avoid the pitfalls of past health interventions.

“MAMII must not become another short-lived intervention. It requires strong political commitment, adequate funding, and coordinated efforts across all levels of government to make a real difference,” Ms Banji said.

Also, the CEO of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), Chika Offor, highlighted the importance of health financing to ensure accessibility and affordability of maternal care.

She said, “Sustainable funding is key. Ogun’s Ibi-Dero conditional cash transfer programme is a great model. Other states should invest in health insurance to ensure pregnant women access quality care without financial hardship.’’

She stated that Ogun State had deployed electronic medical records across primary, secondary, and tertiary facilities to improve care coordination and patient outcomes.

She also commended the Ibi-Dero conditional cash transfer programme, which provides financial support to vulnerable pregnant women, ensuring access to quality maternal care.

In Bauchi State, where rural inaccessibility and low antenatal care attendance are major challenges, the state government pledged to strengthen community health programmes and expand skilled birth attendance.

According to the Bauchi State Commissioner of Health, Sani Dambam, efforts will focus on training more midwives.

Mr Dambam said that there would also be a focus on increasing emergency obstetric care services and integrating traditional birth attendants into formal healthcare structures.

“To reduce maternal deaths, we must bridge gaps between rural communities and healthcare facilities. This requires community engagement and sustainable health financing,” he said.

A community health worker, Grace Adeyemi, emphasised the importance of training and equipping frontline workers.

She said, “We need more midwives and functional health centres. Many women die because of avoidable delays in receiving care,” she said.

Despite the optimism, she cautioned that without sustained funding, workforce training, and strong monitoring frameworks, MAMII may not achieve its full potential.

Development partners, including the World Bank, UNICEF, and UNFPA, have pledged technical and financial support for the initiative.

Founder of Women Strengthening Women in Nigeria, Mercy Adejo, said that MAMII was a game-changer.

Ms Adejo, however, called for community ownership, proper workforce training, and accountability at all levels.

She stressed the need for domestic resource mobilisation to sustain MAMII beyond donor funding.

She said that as implementation moved forward, the success of MAMII would depend on its ability to deliver long-term, measurable improvements in maternal and neonatal health across Nigeria.

(NAN)