The Projects Director of the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), Dr. Stanley Ukpai, has called on key healthcare stakeholders to show the political will needed to transition from Iron Folic Acid (IFA) to Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women in Nigeria.
Ukpai made the call during a high-level panel discussion titled “Moving Research to Market: Scaling Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for Maternal Health Impact in Nigeria,” organised by dRPC in partnership with Sight and Life in Abuja.
He described the transition from IFA to MMS as a critical intervention in addressing the high prevalence of anemia among pregnant women, stressing that MMS provides a broader range of essential micronutrients required during pregnancy, thereby reducing maternal and infant mortality.
“Women are still anemic in pregnancy, and MMS is critical to tackling these challenges. Nigeria still faces a substantial maternal nutrition burden, with millions of women experiencing anemia in pregnancy despite the availability of an effective solution,” Ukpai said.
He noted that global best practice supports a gradual transition from IFA to MMS, adding that many countries have already adopted the shift, while Nigeria has made notable progress in that direction.
Also speaking at the event, President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), Professor Salisu Abubakar, said MMS enjoys high acceptability among pregnant women and projected that by 2029, about 70 per cent of expectant mothers could access MMS through antenatal care.
Abubakar explained that while iron folic acid contains only two micronutrients, MMS offers broader nutritional benefits, with evidence showing improved outcomes for both anemia management and childbirth.
Maternal health experts and partners from across Africa have called for the rapid scale-up of innovations, evidenced-based and stronger collaboration to reduce the continent’s high rates of maternal and newborn deaths.
Despite global progress, Africa remains off track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing maternal mortality to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), maternal deaths in Africa have dropped by 40 per cent, from 727 to 442 per 100,000 live births between 2000 and 2023. However, the region still accounts for 70 per cent of global maternal deaths.
It said to meet the SDG target of fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 by 2030, Africa must accelerate progress twelvefold, as an estimated 178,000 mothers and one million newborns still die yearly from largely preventable causes.
The experts, including Prof. Hadiza Galadanci, Director of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy at Bayero University, Kano, described the region’s maternal mortality rates, ranging between 500 and 900 deaths per 100,000 live births as alarming and in urgent need of coordinated action.
The experts made the call in Abuja during the inaugural meeting of the Accelerating Implementation for Maternal, Newborn, Child Nutrition and Health (AIM MNCH) project, where Galadanci said, “We now have clear proof that with innovation for postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) prevention and treatment, we can crush maternal mortality.
Scaling up PPH interventions, which account for up to 28 percent of maternal deaths, will also help tackle other leading causes such as eclampsia and severe anaemia”.
She highlighted several promising solutions ready for deployment, including new eclampsia treatment innovations, Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), and Intravenous Iron (IVON).
On her part, Prof. Zahida Qureshi of the University of Nairobi, Kenya, noted that the Abuja retreat aims to accelerate the adoption of the E-MOTIVE approach across Africa, saying it offers countries a chance to move directly into implementation.
“When we share experiences from Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria, we learn valuable lessons from each other,” Qureshi said. “Every country will leave with a clear plan for scaling up these innovations.”
Prof. Taiwo Omole, Deputy Director of Research at the Africa Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy and a senior official at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, described the meeting as a turning point for maternal health in Africa.
“Many interventions operate in silos. Our goal is to promote shared learning and collective implementation,” he said. “Evidence from Kano State shows that maternal mortality dropped from over 2,000 to about 500 per 100,000 live births. If Kano can achieve this, Nigeria and Africa can too.”
Dr. Ekenem Isichei, Deputy Director of Programme Advocacy and Communications at the Gates Foundation, said the themed of the project, ‘Regional Think Tank’ aligns with Nigeria’s quest for innovative solutions to issue, would help Nigeria address persistent maternal and newborn health challenges.
“We want mothers and children to live healthier lives because healthier families mean a healthier nation. The E-MOTIVE innovation has proven to save lives — the question now is how to ensure every health facility in Nigeria has access to it.”
He stressed that access, availability, prioritisation, and investment remain the major barriers, noting that while the E-MOTIVE bundle is already being produced in Kano, many primary health centres still lack essential supplies.
“This responsibility belongs to all of us — as individuals, partners, and as a nation committed to protecting women and children,” he added.
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, highlighted the government’s progress through stronger partnerships with donors and implementing agencies.
“Nigeria is large, and our needs are significant. But we now have strong systems and readiness to receive and deploy commodities efficiently,” he said, through a representative, Dr. Samuel Oyeniyi, Director of Reproductive Health at the Federal Ministry of Health.
Pate also noted that recent updates to the Federal AMC Guidelines now include maternal blood pressure monitoring to improve detection of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, while UN data shows a slight decline in Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio—from 1,047 to 993 per 100,000 live births.
“While challenges remain, leveraging local innovations, strengthening partnerships, and accelerating commodity distribution will further improve maternal outcomes. When we act collectively, we save mothers, babies, and futures.”
The meeting marks a crucial step in establishing the Regional Think Tank, designed to fast-track research-to-policy translation, large-scale implementation, and sustainability of maternal and newborn health innovations across Africa.
The Think Tank, according to the organisers serves as a high-level advisory and technical body to guide and strengthen national efforts in implementing evidence-based maternal, newborn, and child health interventions.
It also aims to bridge the gap between research and policy, helping governments and partners translate proven innovations into local realities.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu yesterday re-emphasised that no Nigerian mother should lose her life while giving birth, as she commissioned two major health facilities in Gombe State.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 100-bed Senator Oluremi Tinubu Maternal and Child Specialist Hospital, the First Lady described healthcare — particularly maternal and child health — as central to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
According to a statement issued by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady said “the commissioning of this hospital is not just the unveiling of a building; it is the opening of doors to life, to hope, and to a healthier future for our mothers and our children.
“Healthcare, especially maternal and child health, is at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which seeks to ensure that every Nigerian child has a healthy start in life, and that no mother dies while birthing life”, Mrs. Tinubu declared.
She commended the Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for building the hospital, noting that the facility would significantly help reduce maternal and infant mortality while bringing relief to families in Gombe and neighboring states.
“It is my belief that this facility will provide quality healthcare services, reduce maternal and infant mortality, and bring relief to families in Gombe State and beyond,” the First Lady said, while urging medical professionals, community leaders, and citizens to ensure the facility serves its purpose with excellence, compassion, and integrity.
In addition to the specialist hospital, Senator Tinubu also commissioned the ultra-modern New College of Nursing and Midwifery, Gombe, where she interacted with enthusiastic students who expressed gratitude for her visit.
The First Lady’s engagements in Gombe form part of her ongoing nationwide advocacy for improved healthcare and education under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She has since returned to Abuja after her two-day official visit to the state.
Sir: I write in response to the article published on June 3, 2024, titled “Nigeria is world’s most dangerous country to give birth, says BBC.” While the report highlights past challenges, it does not reflect the remarkable progress Nigeria has made in maternal and child health under the leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, since 2023.
In just two years, Nigeria has witnessed unprecedented reforms and investments that are changing the narrative of maternal care across the country: $1billion Maternal and Child Health Fund: In 2025, the Federal Government approved a $1 billion fund to support all 36 states in reducing maternal and child mortality. This includes upgrading 774 primary healthcare facilities to provide free emergency obstetric care.
Free Cesarean Sections Nationwide: Under the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), the government has made cesarean sections available free of charge in public facilities nationwide—removing a key barrier that once claimed thousands of lives.
Obstetric Fistula-Free Programme: Launched in 2024, this initiative has successfully treated over 1,600 women across 18 facilities, offering them a second chance at life. All associated costs—from transportation to post-surgical rehabilitation—are covered by the Federal Government.
Primary Healthcare Upgrades: Through the PHC revitalisation effort, 238 facilities have already been upgraded, with over 2,000 more in progress. These facilities now offer 24/7 services, better equipment, and skilled birth attendants. Health Workforce Expansion: Enrollment quotas for medical and nursing schools have more than doubled—from 28,000 to 64,000 annually—ensuring that Nigeria has the human capacity to staff its growing health infrastructure.
Adolescent and Reproductive Health Services: The integration of adolescent-friendly services into PHCs is ongoing through the AGILE Project, offering menstrual hygiene, reproductive health education, and mental health support to young girls.
These efforts, driven by clear political will and backed by strong policy implementation, are already yielding measurable results. Nigeria is no longer the nation described in 2021 statistics—it is now on an upward trajectory toward safer, equitable, and more inclusive healthcare for women and children.
While we acknowledge that challenges remain, it is equally important that the media offers fair and current coverage that reflects the nation’s progress. We invite the media to join in amplifying these critical achievements that impact the lives of millions.
I write in response to a feature story by Nkechi Onyedika-Ugoeze published in The Guardian on January 9, 2025, which painted an inaccurate and unnecessarily dismal picture of the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal Care programme. The article described the initiative designed to make Caesarean sections free for eligible pregnant women as a “gargantuan failure.” It misrepresented facts and smeared the ambitious effort towards reducing Nigeria’s high rate of maternal mortality.
The report claimed that delays in awareness campaigns and in the rollout of the programme had spurred doubts about the viability of the initiative and also alleged that the programme was yet to take off three months after its announcement. Although large-scale health programmes often have bumpy starts in their implementation, branding CEmONC as a failed initiative will completely discount tangible evidence of progress made since its inception and the different phases the initiative has undergone. The Guardian needs to do some robust research and correct such inaccuracies by setting the record straight. It will surely uncover the serious efforts made and milestones achieved if the respected newspaper lends itself to the rigour of fact-checking.
The launch of CEmONC was in August 2024 in four health facilities spread between Kano and Akwa Ibom. For Kano, the kick-off took place at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, and Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, while in Akwa Ibom, the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital was the flagship centre. The programme expanded to seven more facilities in Bauchi, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Borno States by December 2024― thus far from a stagnating programme.
Others include the Federal Teaching Hospital Birnin Kebbi; Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Kebbi; Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital; and Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital and the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital Azare, Bauchi; and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno. Of these newly added facilities, five have already started reporting and making active strides towards the objectives of the programme.
In its first four months, CEmONC achieved several measurable results that contradict this bleak description of The Guardian report: between September to December 2024, 887 claims were facilitated through the programme, out of which 706 were independently verified and 663 paid. As of now, more than ₦87 million has been disbursed to participating facilities to support the cost of treatment for life-threatening complications arising during childbirth. More importantly, more than 2,600 women have accessed life-saving obstetric care in the pilot facilities, with 887 of them receiving comprehensive support that covered all associated costs. My perusal of verifiable documents from the Federal Ministry of Health and engagements with some of the hospital leadership prove that they have received support from the government and have started deploying some of these crucial services.
Therefore, this is not the story of a failed initiative; rather, it is one of progress and dedication. The CEmONC program stands out as proof of the commitment by the government to stem the uncontrollable maternal mortality rate in Nigeria, estimated by the World Health Organization in 2023 to be 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, second in the world. This no doubt forms a call for targeted interventions, especially in the most economically deprived families who often do not have access to health facilities.
Worth noting is that CEmONC is not an impromptu programme but rather one that was done with great planning and consideration of its sustainability. As early as December 2023, all 36 states and the FCT had already been engaged by letters to the State Commissioners for Health to provide data on eligible healthcare facilities. This engagement allowed for the prioritisation of facilities in terms of need and capacity, ensuring that resources go where they are most needed. As of the end of 2024, MOUs had been signed by 42 referral facilities across all six geopolitical zones, with ongoing efforts geared at onboarding all 69 eligible tertiary health institutions.
Financial support for Caesarean sections is not the only impact that the programme has deployed.
A key component of CEmONC is upgrading healthcare infrastructure to ensure better service delivery. 40 percent of Level 1 primary health facilities are being upgraded to Level 2, enabling them to provide integrated sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning and post-abortion care. Furthermore, in 2024, more than 60,000 frontline health workers were trained for full-scale SRH services, and another 60,000 will be trained in 2025. All these activities represent comprehensive work regarding maternal health, striking at the very roots of maternal mortality and strengthening the general healthcare system.
With these achievements, it is astounding how The Guardian went out of its way to selectively expound the delays in behavioural change campaigns and the initial glitch in implementation to make a point of failure. Such challenges are not new and are expectant in the case of most large-scale intervention initiatives that take multiple stakeholders’ coordination. Rather, the huge strides taken in such a short time and the fact that this could save millions of lives if supported properly should be what people should focus on rather than dwelling on some temporary setbacks.
Unfortunately, it is sad to think that The Guardian, a newspaper with a history and reputation for balanced and fact-based reporting, would publish an article seemingly without proper research and nuance. Journalism is important to hold institutions accountable and spur public debate, but even then, it needs to be pegged on truth and fairness. Misleading narratives of such an important initiative as CEmONC risk undermining public confidence and preventing potential beneficiaries from seeking life-saving care. This is dire, in that misinformation moves fast in the country and spreads with real-life consequences among the most vulnerable populations.
The most important focus of the CEmONC programme is on the five causes of maternal deaths in Nigeria: haemorrhage, preeclampsia, sepsis, post-abortion complications, and obstructed labour. It offers a lifeline to poor women who cannot afford to pay for the full cost of treatment. This is, in all honesty, a bold and highly commendable decision on the part of the federal government—a step that should be collectively supported by stakeholders, including the media, civil society, and health professionals.
Crucially, the programme requires more awareness among the public for successful implementation. More families should be made aware that financial constraints need not stand in the way of life-saving obstetric care. Similarly, health workers and administrators should be properly informed and equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to implement the programme. Constructive criticism by the media may prove extremely useful in pointing out deficiencies that need to be attended to, but this should be done responsibly, factually, and without sensationalism.
Moreover, a tighter policy should be established to constrict the spread of misinformation through any conventional media or digital platforms. The damage caused by such incorrect reporting does not lie only in making wrong perceptions among the masses, but it can also hamper the efforts of the policymakers and healthcare providers who relentlessly work on programmes like CEmONC. At a time when Nigeria is striving to join the comity of nations in attaining the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality to less than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030, the media should be a partner in progress and not a promoter of undue cynicism.
The CEmONC programme, therefore, marks a major milestone in Nigeria’s quest to stem the tide of maternal mortality and harness quality healthcare for its citizens. It is anything but the “gargantuan failure” as described by the Guardian report. Rather, it is a work in progress that has indeed started yielding fruits and holds so much promise for the future. I, therefore, call on all Nigerians, particularly the media, to give this initiative all the support it deserves to succeed.
Ademiluyi, a health journalist and columnist, wrote from Lagos
Lagos State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with mDoc Healthcare, has launched the Digital Mom Project, an accessible digital model for the enhancement of maternal health outcomes and access to comprehensive health care.
The project is supported by funding from Material Safety Data Sheet (MSD), and through MSD for Mothers, the company’s global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life.
With a focus on low to middle-income women in Lagos and Ekiti states, the project aims to improve maternal health outcomes like improved blood pressure and blood glucose metrics by 20 per cent.
The project objectives include enhancing women’s physical, emotional and financial well-being through virtual and in-person self-care support; establishing a Virtual Learning Network focused on improving maternal health systems’ quality at public and private facilities; promoting high-quality and equitable maternity care and deploying a woman-centric digital review system to elevate women’s voices in order to improve the experience of quality care and facilitate quality and women-centred care.
The meeting took place at The Colossus Hotel in Ikeja, where stakeholders in the public and private sectors, including technical working groups, partner organisations, and health care facilities, to facilitate co-design, input and alignment on implementation plans, fostering collaboration and synergy among key stakeholders.
Despite global advancements in reducing maternal mortality, Nigeria continues to face a critical challenge, with the highest maternal mortality rate in Africa at 512 per 100,000 live births.
In Lagos, maternal mortality remains a significant concern, attributed to factors such as limited access to quality health care, shortages of medical professionals, delays in seeking care, and socio-cultural barriers.
At the event, Chiagozie Abiakam, a pharmacist and manager at mDoc, said the project is in response to this challenge, building on the successes of prior initiatives such as RICOM3, Integrate E and Project Aisha, funded by MSD for Mothers, which showcased the transformative impact of technology-driven interventions on maternal health outcomes.
By leveraging AI powered technology and adopting a holistic approach to healthcare training, service delivery, and patient education, the project aims to empower over 200,000 low to middle-income women building their health, digital and financial literacy as well as build capacity of 3,000 healthcare workers across public and private healthcare facilities with a focus on NCDs over a 30-month period from 2023 to 2025.
Abiakam highlighted that recognising the diversity in digital access, the project will utilise NudgeHubs such as the one established in Balogun market, Ikorodu and Lekki, as well as mDoc roving community ambassadors. This strategy ensures that women’s digital, health and financial literacy are prioritized, ensuring access for all women to essential self-care services.
The meeting was attended by Project Manager of mDoc Dr Chiagozie Abiakam, MD of General Hospital, Ikorodu, Iyadunni Olubode, Director of Programmes, MSD for Mothers Mr Ota Akhigbe, PSHANDr. Victoria Omoera, RH Coordinator LSMOH Dr. Donald Imosemi among others.
mDoc is a digital health social enterprise which integrates proven methodologies in quality improvement, data, and behavioral science with web and mobile-based technology to help people live longer, happier, and healthier lives. Through our four-pronged high-tech, high-touch approach, mDoc optimizes the end-to-end self-care experience for people living with regular and chronic health needs.
Kano State has earned $8.1 million emerging the overall winner of the 2018 North-West Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week (MNCHW) programme.
The feat followed the commitment of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s administration in Saving one Milion lives Programme on the platform of offering low-cost intervention to Pregnant Women and Children under the age of five years in the State.
Dr. Ganduje disclosed this during the Flag-off of the MNCH 2019, held at Getso in Gwarzo Local Government Area of the state.
Dr. Ganduje who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna stated that “during the last round of the exercise, over two million Children were supplemented with Vitamin A, while 1,180,760 Children were dewormed and thousands of women were given LLIN, Iron- Folate supplements and malaria prevention drugs respectively.
” Kano State Government which has been consistent in the implementation of all health programmes aimed at improving the lives of our people, has provided all necessary support to ensure this campaign is a success.
” This administration has placed the highest priority on saving the lives especially that of Women and Children through the provision of essential health services both at Primary and Secondary care levels and did not relent in taking holistic insight into the fundamental needs of our healthcare sector and came up with comprehensive action plan.”
He assured that Kano State Government would strive and work harder in delivering more democratic dividends in housing, transportation, fly-over bridges, improving road network, agriculture, commerce and many other interventions that would improve standard of living and ensure development in the state.
He emphasized the importance of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week to the lives of Women and Children, maintaining that, “this week exercise would provide Vitamin A supplement for Children, Deworming of Children, immunization, Screening of Children Nutritional Status and Birth registration exercise among others.”
On his part, the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, represented by the District Head of Tudun Wada, Dr. Bashir Ibrahim Muhammad Dankadai, expressed satisfaction on the effort made by Kano State Government and other development partners in promoting the lives of Women and Children in the State despite economic challenges.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso said the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week is a week-long event during which low-cost interventions are offered to prevent women and Children under age of 5 with the aim of increasing coverage levels of some important preventive and curative health indicators that allow mothers and Children to thrive and develop.
According to him, Kano State Government in collaboration with other developed partners had spent over N1 million in procuring the needed supplements to ensure the successful conduct of the MNCHW Programme across the 44 local government areas in the State.
On the effort being made by the State to improve the health sector, Dr. Getso explained “The Present administration of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has renovated and equipped over 300 Hospitals with new working materials to ensure that people benefit more from its health revitalization agenda.
” Apart from this, Kano State Government has procured medicines worth billions of Naira and distributed to the hospitals across the State, provided free maternal care and free Child treatment in the State,” he added.
Former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Engr. Tijjani Mohammed Gwarzo, the representatives of CDC Dr. Halladu Sulaiman and that of UNICEF Dr. Muhammad were among the dignitaries that spoke at the occasion
Health insurance provider Hygeia HMO and the Audrey Pack Company Limited are partnering on the reduction of maternal and child mortality.
They have signed a memorandum of understanding (Mou) in Lagos.
The partnership is aimed at reducing the number of women who die during child birth.
Starting at only N65,000, Hygeia’s plan provides cover for antenatal care during pregnancy as well as cost of delivery. A mum-to-be pack for expectant mothers and a newborn pack after delivery that contains essentials for each stage of the life giving journey are included.
Announcing the deal, Obinna Ukachukwu, Hygeia HMO’s Executive Head for Business Development & Strategy, said the plan was essential as a private-sector-led initiative to improve the quality of healthcare women get throughout their maternity.
“Hygeia HMO has a long-term goal to ensure that the vast majority of Nigerians get covered by health insurance and this is an effective way to pool the power of aggregated risks and use it to improve Nigeria’s efforts towards the crucial SDG 3.1 goal to reduce maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030. HyMat + The Audrey Pack gets us closer to bridging that gap.”
Audrey Pack also brings with it access to a community of women who volunteer their expertise to help expectant mothers. The deal with Hygeia includes a free subscription to MTNAudreyCare service where enrolees receive SMS updates on nutrition, fitness and other developmental content.
Lilian Odim, the founder/chief executive, The Audrey Pack Company, said: “In line with the SDG 3 goal, I believe that the health and well-being of mothers is an indication of the health and state of a nation. The decline in maternal and child mortality lies in the collaborative efforts between various industries, including the public sector. This is why I am certain that the Hygeia HMO- Audrey Pack partnership will take us closer to this goal.”
Airtel Nigeria has renewed its partnership with Millennium Promise (MP) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University to provide quality healthcare to expectant and nursing mothers, and children under five years in Pampaida, Kaduna, Northern Nigeria, under Millennium Villages Project.
The project, an initiative of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, is a science-based bottom-up approach to lifting rural villages out of the poverty trap that afflicts more than a billion people worldwide. The community-driven initiative operates in 12 sites in 10 sub-Saharan African countries where it tackles challenges related to health and nutrition, education, agriculture, livelihoods, gender equality and other vital issues.
Under the new agreement with Millennium Promise, Airtel is leveraging on its robust 3.75G Network to deploy a sophisticated mobile-phone platform dubbed CommCare to help support Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Home Based Care Providers to provide better, more efficient healthcare to the targeted beneficiaries.
The CommCare platform will also aid better supervision and coordination of community health programmes, providing a guide to Community Health Workers and assisting them with an electronic questionnaire to collate data on the pregnancy, birth and condition of the infants as well as wellbeing of mothers.
The system will also guide Community Health Workers to refer infants or mothers that are in need of medical attention, thus addressing one of the key barriers to reducing neonatal and maternal mortality.
Pampaida is located in Kaduna State and it comprises 57 settlements/villages with a total population of about 27, 000 divided into about 4, 050 households. It has four health centres in Saulawa, Kwari, Fadama Kale and Pampaida, located in Saulawa district Ikara Local Government Area, where the Village Health Workers serve.
