Maternal and Child Health
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Maternal and Child Health
Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate, currently at 540 deaths per 100,000 live births (2013), remains unacceptably high. However, gradual progress has been recorded — from 1,200 deaths in 1990 to 540 deaths in 2013 per 100,000 live births. Similarly, the Under-5 Mortality Ratio declined from 191 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 94 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2012.
Despite these gains, major challenges persist. The unmet need for family planning stands at 14% for all women and 16% for women aged 15–49, leading to increased rates of adolescent pregnancies, as well as pregnancies that are too early, too frequent, or too late in life. These conditions increase risks for both mothers and infants.
The “three delays” continue to drive maternal deaths in Nigeria:
Delay at home – lack of awareness or decision-making power to seek timely care.
Delay during transportation – poor road networks and limited emergency transport systems.
Delay in health facilities – inadequate staffing, poorly equipped facilities, and a shortage of skilled birth attendants.
These factors, combined with limited access to quality healthcare, contribute significantly to the high maternal mortality rate.
For children, nutritional deficiencies, malaria, diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infections (ARI), and vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) continue to threaten survival and healthy growth.
The Africa Centre for Health Leadership (ACHL) is committed to improving the health of mothers, pregnant women, and children under five by supporting community-based and health-system interventions designed to reduce preventable deaths and address the three delays.
Through advocacy, partnerships, and capacity-building, ACHL seeks to strengthen maternal and child health systems, promote family planning, and improve access to essential services that ensure safer pregnancies, safer deliveries, and healthier children.