The C-Section: Nigeria’s Fight Against Maternal Mortality

The Nigerian government through the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has announced that Caesarean sections will now be available at no cost to women in need, as part of its efforts to reduce maternal mortality rate in the country.

This free caesarean policy aims to reduce the maternal mortality rate and improve the quality of healthcare services for pregnant women in Nigeria. However, this policy may not be feasible in Nigeria due to the Nigerian health sector’s underlying issues.

Maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman while pregnant, due to complications during labour or following childbirth.

A Caesarean delivery (also known as a C-section) is the surgical delivery of a baby. It involves one incision in the mother’s abdomen and another in the uterus. It is often carried out to rescue emergencies when complications arise during childbirth.

Over the years, Nigeria has recorded high levels of maternal mortality across its 36 states and FCT. The situation is yet to improve significantly due to the underlying issues facing the health sector.

About 100,000 women lost their lives during birth and after birth complications across different parts of Nigeria in 2023. Imo state has the highest record of maternal mortality in the country with 1837.1 per 100,000 losing their lives during and after childbirth.

Issues such as understaffing, low budgetary allocation, insufficient funds and other important policies that are needed to strengthen the Nigerian healthcare system have not been implemented.

Among other countries, Nigeria ranks third in the world with the highest maternal mortality rate, recording 1,047 deaths per 100,000 births.

Budgetary Issues in Nigeria’s Health Sector

Nigeria has experienced a notable increase in healthcare funding; however, achieving sustainable health financing is still a continuous challenge as budgets in the health sector need to be allocated appropriately.