With an estimated 75,000 maternal deaths in 2023—equivalent to one every seven minutes—Nigeria has been described by the WHO as the most dangerous country to give birth.
In response, community health programs are expanding across vulnerable areas to provide antenatal care, medication, and health education.
At a Lagos health center, frontline workers are registering expectant mothers, monitoring pregnancies, and offering early interventions to prevent complications.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Maternal and Reproductive Healthcare Collective, aims to overcome barriers such as financial hardship, cultural practices, and distrust in hospitals—factors that fuel preventable maternal deaths.
Expectant mothers like Khadijat Bakare and Aishat Okunloye, both of whom previously faced high-risk pregnancies, are already benefitting from the program’s support.
Although the Nigerian government has rolled out national policies to address maternal mortality, experts say community-driven efforts are proving most effective in saving lives.
As the crisis deepens, grassroots solutions may be the country’s best hope to protect mothers and infants from preventable deaths.
