Nigeria's Maternal Crisis: A Death Every Seven Minutes

With a staggering one woman dying every seven minutes during childbirth, Nigeria has become the world's most perilous place to give birth. A lack of medical resources, cultural beliefs, and infrastructural issues contribute to the crisis as many women face life-threatening complications without adequate support.

At just 24, Nafisa Salahu faced the grim reality of maternal mortality in Nigeria—an average of one woman succumbing to childbirth complications every seven minutes. This statistic reflects the country's position as the world's most dangerous place for giving birth, with one in 100 women expected to die during or shortly after delivery. Despite the desperately needed care, Salahu was left without expert help due to a doctors' strike; her three-day labor turned traumatic when her baby's head got stuck. A hastily found doctor eventually performed a Caesarean, but tragically, her child did not survive.

With the situation still critical 11 years later, Salahu has returned for subsequent births, adopting a fatalistic approach: "I knew [each time] I was between life and death but I was no longer afraid." Statistics from 2023 reveal Nigeria accounted for nearly 29% of all global maternal deaths, totaling an estimated 75,000 women losing their lives due to childbirth complications.

Many deaths stem from preventable causes such as postpartum hemorrhage, high blood pressure, and obstructed labor. Families like that of Chinenye Nweze, who bled to death in a hospital due to inadequate blood supplies, bear tragic stories of loss. "Losing my sister and my friend is nothing I would wish on an enemy," her brother Henry Edeh shared, illustrating the pain of families battling against a failing healthcare system.

The situation is exacerbated by systemic failings, including a shortage of medical professionals, unaffordable treatment options, cultural stigmas against modern medical practices, and threats of violence in certain areas.

Mabel Onwuemena, co-ordinator of the Women of Purpose Development Foundation, expressed her dismay: "No woman deserves to die while birthing a child." In rural regions, cultural beliefs lead many to shun hospitals, opting for traditional sales which can delay essential medical intervention.

Challenges extend beyond personal choice; logistical issues hinder women from reaching healthcare facilities. A glaring deficiency in medical staff is evident, with 121,000 midwives serving a population of 218 million, compelling many to forgo medical assistance due to distrust stemming from negligence tales.

Education and wealth significantly affect outcomes, as highlighted by Chinwendu Obiejesi, who can afford private healthcare, reporting fewer maternal deaths among her social circle. However, stark contrasts persist between urban and rural experiences, with many urban dwellers enjoying improved access and understanding of healthcare practices.

Dr. Nana Sandah-Abubakar from Nigeria's National Primary Health Care Development Agency acknowledges the dire need for reform and initiated the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (Mamii) in 2022. Intended to support pregnant women across selected regions, the pilot program has begun surveying and linking them to necessary healthcare services following pregnancy.

While global maternal mortality rates have notably declined, Nigeria's change has been minimal, prompting calls for sustained investment and oversight. The continued loss of some 200 mothers a day emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to ensure safe childbirth for every woman. As families mourn their losses, the hope remains that systemic change will finally address this tragic reality, as articulated by Edeh, who aches for his sister lost to a preventable fate.