Obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Zeenat Abdullahi, Monday said for Nigeria’s fight against child mortality to be meaningful, maternal healthcare must be prioritised.
She stated that healthy pregnancies and safe deliveries are only the beginning, and what happens to mothers and their children in the months and years after birth often determines whether a child survives to their fifth birthday.
Dr Abdullahi in a statement, said Nigeria’s latest demographic and health survey shows that 110 out of every 1,000 children die before age five, roughly one in nine, placing the country among the highest under-five mortality rates in the world.
“Maternal mortality remains similarly high, highlighting the shared vulnerabilities of mothers and children,” she said.
Dr. Abdullahi explained: “Mothers who are healthy during pregnancy and postpartum can provide hands-on care to their infants: ensuring proper nutrition, safe cord care, and early detection of health or developmental concerns. When mothers are supported and well, children are far more likely to survive and thrive.”
Despite progress in safe deliveries, families often return to communities where clinics are distant, clean water is scarce, and preventable diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria remain constant threats. Two mothers may leave the same hospital with healthy newborns; months later, only one child may survive because only one mother could consistently access ongoing care.
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