The Federal Government has launched a suite of national policies and guidelines aimed at transforming maternal health outcomes in Nigeria.
At the commemoration of the 2025 Safe Motherhood Day in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate announced that no woman should die while giving life and that safe childbirth must become a national guarantee not a gamble.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Innovating for Safer Birth: A Collective Responsibility to Crash Maternal Mortality’, Professor Pate called on every stakeholders in the health sector to act decisively in protecting mothers and newborns.
”No woman should die giving life, and no child should be born into preventable suffering,” the minister said. “Safe Motherhood is not merely a health agenda it is a moral imperative and a critical measure of our national progress.”
In a major highlight of the event, the minister further launched six new national policy and training documents designed to standardize care and improve maternal health services nationwide.
These include:
Safe Motherhood Strategy (2024–2028): A national roadmap for reducing maternal deaths; Guidelines for the Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH); Preeclampsia and Eclampsia Guidelines; Essential Gynaecological Skills Manuals; RMNCAEH+N Quality of Care Strategy; and National Training Manual on Obstetric Fistula Management.
According to the Minister, “these documents reflect our government’s commitment to building a resilient, people-centered health system that anticipates and prevents maternal and newborn emergencies.”
He also highlighted major strides under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, to include: Strengthened primary healthcare delivery; Expanded access to skilled birth attendants; Free fistula care in 15 centers; Scale-up of free emergency obstetric care (CEmONC); Broader health insurance coverage; and Operationalization of emergency medical services across 23 states.
“These reforms are already yielding improved health indicators in several states,” she noted, adding that the government remains resolute in ensuring maternal care reaches the poorest and most vulnerable populations.” Pate said.
Also speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Daju Kachollom maintained that the Safe Motherhood Day was not only a day of reflection but a moment for action and renewed partnerships.
“Maternal mortality is not just a statistic it’s a personal tragedy and a call to strengthen our systems,” she said. “Our slogan, ‘Care for Moms, Hope for the Babies’, reminds us that the health of mothers is the foundation of healthier generations.”
She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to respectful, inclusive, and accessible maternal health care, especially in underserved rural communities.
As Nigeria commemorates Safe Motherhood Day 2025, the message is clear: with sustained commitment, innovation, and collective action, the country can become one where no woman dies while giving life, and every child is born into safety and dignity.
