Stakeholders have deliberated on funding models aimed at strengthening the government’s Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII).
Chief Executive Officer of DGI Consult, Dr. Gafar Alawode, said Nigeria’s interventions over the past two decades had been fragmented, describing them as “siloed efforts addressing parts rather than the whole.”
He explained that the MAMII initiative was designed to close gaps through integrated, large-scale approaches.
Similarly, Prof. Charles Ameh of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine noted that Nigeria had “remained in the very high mortality phase for 20 years,” stressing the need for stronger investment, fairer distribution of health workers, and the adoption of digital innovations.
Lead of the MAMII Initiative, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, said the programme targeted 172 local government areas responsible for more than half of maternal deaths in the country.
According to him, its strategies include health insurance enrolment, improved emergency obstetric care, integration of traditional birth attendants into referral systems, and the use of community emergency transport supported by digital platforms to ensure quicker responses and save lives.
Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, shared lessons from governance reforms in his state, which include health insurance expansion, supply chain improvements, and routine data-driven reviews. He urged other states to adopt similar successful measures.
Also contributing, Dr. Olufunke Fasawe of the Clinton Health Access Initiative underscored the importance of integrated approaches that combine training of skilled health workers with broader system-wide reforms to reduce maternal and child deaths.
UNICEF representative, Dr. Sachin Bhokare, called for stronger government capacity in planning, budgeting, and monitoring health spending. He emphasised the inclusion of child health in national budgets, alongside the expansion of health insurance for vulnerable households, with accountability and transparency in expenditure.
“Health investments remain critical to preventing maternal and child deaths nationwide,” Bhokare said.
Chairperson of the Nigeria Universal Health Coverage Forum, Chief Moji Makanjuola, said Civil Society Organisations play a key role in amplifying community voices and ensuring accountability. She stressed the need for citizen engagement in decision-making to make health a political priority.
Government officials, academics, civil society organisations, and development partners to deliberate on evidence-based approaches for sustaining maternal and child health interventions.
The session concluded with a call for Nigeria to adopt sustainable financing, strengthen governance, and scale up proven strategies, with participants stressing the urgency of reducing preventable maternal and child deaths.