THE Nigerian government has admitted that there are gaps in maternal and child health in the country.
Addressing the Association of Health Journalists (ANHEJ) at its 8th Annual Conference in Abuja as a guest speaker recently, the special adviser to the President on health, Salma Ibrahim Anas, a doctor, said the gaps existed largely at the sub-national levels, including states and local government areas (LGAs).
Speaking on the conference theme, “SWAP Effectiveness in Addressing Poor Health Outcomes: The Role Of The Media,” Anas who was the Borno State’s former commissioner for health said President Bola Tinubu’s government was determined to do things differently to turn the tide.
“I want to say also that there are huge gaps that we need to do much more than what we have been doing. We need to double our efforts, not only at the national level but most importantly at the sub-national level. That is where Nigerian citizens are. That is where we seek services. That is where quality services will be delivered to the citizens of Nigeria. So much needs to be done at the state level and the local government level.
She expressed delight that Tinubu’s administration was strengthening the country’s LGAs through the autonomy it recently achieved through the Supreme Court.
Anas said some data from the National Demography and Health Survey and the National Health Facility Survey were not good for the country.
“In the area of maternal health, we need to do much more. We need to do things differently since it has not been giving us good results in several years that we have been doing; we are still not doing so well. You look at indices around antenatal care uptake for women, pregnant women, deliveries and skilled birth attendants, they are still very poor.
“We made very little progress in the modern family planning commodities which is a game-changer in the health of women. The newborn, it has also stagnated. We’ve not made much progress there. What can we now pick out of the box? What do we do differently in terms of the Federal Government’s commitment, investment and also the development partners and donor commitments at the moment? How do we maximize the resources and achieve results?”
She reiterated Nigerians’ rights to enjoy quality, affordable and accessible healthcare, which she promised that Tinubu’s administration would deliver.
She said it was also the government’s desire for the nation to attain universal health coverage.
She added that as part of the government’s resolve to improve the nation’s health system, the President approved an executive order on tax and value-added tax waiver on ingredients for drugs produced locally in the country, among others.
“We are working assiduously to improve quality healthcare delivery, especially at the sub-national level through the largest platform – the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). We’ve made a lot of investment. There has also been an expansion of the National Health Insurance Authority and state governors are also expanding, she stated.
The ICIR reports that Anas’ position indicates that similar challenges observed under former President Muhammadu Buhari are yet to be addressed.
Data from the 2024 NDHS show that the percentage of women who received antenatal care (ANC) fell sharply in 2024 to 63 per cent from 67 per cent in the 2018 NDHS. This downward trend in ANC coverage takes Nigerian women’s maternal health risks back to 2013 levels when the figure stood at 61 per cent.
The report also shows an alarming 11 per cent increase in children receiving no vaccinations in Nigeria (zero dose children) as the percentage of children receiving no vaccination increased from 19 per cent in 2018 to 30 per cent in 2024 NDHS.
Meanwhile, in a presentation titled, “Overview of Nutrition Situation in Nigeria,” the director and head nutrition department, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, said at the ANHEJ conference that Nigeria ranked second globally and first in Africa in the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
Represented by the baby-friendly initiative desk officer at the ministry, Adenike Bayode, the director listed drivers of malnutrition to include inadequate food intake, lack of dietary diversity, infectious diseases, food insecurity, inadequate child and maternal care, poor access to health services, and unhealthy environment.
Others are poverty, population, weak governance commitment, and man-made disasters including communal conflicts.
In his opening remark, ANHEJ president, Joseph Kadiri, called for increased investments and collaboration among government, development partners and citizens to raise the bar for the nation’s health system.
While pledging increased reportage of the nation’s health sector, Kadiri called for improved service delivery and judicious use of funds allocated to the sector.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org