By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has called on governments and leaders at all levels to invest in free C-section programs to ensure no woman dies while giving birth.

She made the call while delivering a keynote address at a Policy Dialogue organised in commemoration of the International Women’s Day, in Abuja, yesterday, insisting that investing in free C-section programs “is the smartest economic investment Nigeria can make.”

The policy dialogue which was with the theme: Rights, Justice and Action – Free Emergency C-Section to Save Lives, was organised by Adinya Ade Founder (AAF).

Kingibe maintained that in order to ensure sustainable funding of the programes and initiatives aimed at reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria, there is the need for the establishment of Maternal Health Trust Fund.

She lamented that the maternal health situation in Nigeria is worrisome, revealing that Nigeria contributes nearly 28.5 percent of all global maternal deaths and that approximately 576 to 1,000 women die for every 100,000 live births.

She explained that most cases of maternal deaths are caused by three delays, including “the delay in seeking care, the delay in reaching a facility, and, most tragically, the delay in receiving care due to the inability to pay.”

According to her, “When labour becomes obstructed or complications arise, a Cesarean Section (C-Section) is often the only bridge to survival. Yet, for many Nigerian women, the average cost of an emergency C-section, roughly ₦60,000 to ₦100,000 is an insurmountable mountain.

“In a country where over 40 percent of our people live below the poverty line, we are essentially asking the poor to choose between their life savings and their life”, she said

While charging healthcare providers, she said, “let compassion lead. No woman should be turned away or detained in a ward because she cannot settle a surgical bill.”

Earlier, the convener of the policy dialogue who is also the Founder and Executive Director, Adinya Arise Foundation, Mrs. Mabel Adinya Ade, reiterated that investing in safe motherhood is, no doubt, a sound economic policy.

According to her: “Every maternal death represents not only a human tragedy but also a loss of productivity, stability, and economic potential for families and communities.

“When a mother dies, households often fall deeper into poverty. Children may be withdrawn from school.

“By ensuring that life-saving services such as emergency C-sections are accessible and free for women facing life-threatening labour complications, Nigeria is not only saving lives, we are protecting human capital and investing in the long-term economic growth of our nation.”

In a goodwill message, the Executive Director, International Society for Media in Public Health, ISMPH, Moji Makanjuola, charged the media to critically examine the statistics around maternal health in Nigeria.

She urged the media to sensitise Nigerians about the free C-section program introduced by the federal government through the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, MAMII, in 2024.

Launched in November 2024, MAMII is designed to reduce maternal deaths by 30 per cent and neonatal deaths by 20 per cent in 172 high-burden local government areas across the country.

The initiative brings with it targeted, context-specific measures that focus on governance, accountability, community demand creation, skilled service delivery, and improved financing and performance management.