The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called on governments, donors, and communities to intensify efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
She made the appeal on Monday in a statement issued by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, to mark World Health Day 2025.
Emphasizing the importance of maternal and newborn health, Mrs. Tinubu described it as a fundamental pillar of sustainable development.
She expressed concern over the high number of preventable deaths among women and newborns due to complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
“As we commemorate World Health Day 2025, with the theme, ‘Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,’ let us remember that investing in maternal and newborn health is not only a moral responsibility but also a critical foundation for sustainable development,” she said.
“Every day, far too many women and newborns lose their lives due to preventable complications. No mother should have to risk her life to bring a child into the world, and no newborn should be denied a fair chance at survival.
“On this World Health Day, let us work towards a world where mothers can give birth safely and children can live healthy lives to reach their full potential,” she added.
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The First Lady also commended health workers across the country for their unwavering dedication and sacrifices in promoting better health outcomes.
According to WHO, the African region has made significant progress in reducing maternal mortality since 2000.
However, the current pace of progress needs to increase twelvefold to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
Recent estimates by the United Nations Maternal Mortality Estimation Interagency Group show that while maternal mortality in the region has declined by 40 percent — from 727 to 442 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2000 and 2023 — the region still accounts for 70 percent of global maternal deaths.
Each year, an estimated 178,000 mothers and one million newborns die in the African region, largely from preventable causes.
At the current annual reduction rate of 2.2 percent, the region is projected to reach nearly 350 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030 — five times the SDG target.
Stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates have also declined by 30 percent and 33 percent, respectively, between 2000 and 2023.
Yet sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for 47 percent of global stillbirths and 46 percent of global newborn deaths.
Crediblenewsng.com
