Nigeria distributes maternal, newborn equipment to 252 facilities across 30 states
Ojoma Akor
The federal government of Nigeria has commenced the distribution of Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) medical equipment, worth nearly $200,000 per state, to 252 health facilities across 30 states, towards tackling the country’s high maternal and newborn mortality rates.
The initiative is driven by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare under the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).
Flagging off the distribution exercise on Friday in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the intervention is a fulfillment of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to reduce maternal and infant deaths.
Represented by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, he said that over 40,000 women have already benefited from the initiative.
He said, “Over 40,000 women have already accessed timely life-saving interventions across our CEmONC facilities. These are not just numbers; they are mothers, sisters and families who have been given another chance at life.”
He said the distributed medical equipment will help address inadequate infrastructure for emergency obstetric and newborn care in secondary healthcare facilities.
He said nearly 252 facilities across 30 states are receiving targeted equipment to bridge critical healthcare gaps, adding that the equipment includes oxygen concentrators, pharmaceutical-grade refrigerators, incubators, baby warmers, and other specialized medical tools tailored to the specific needs identified by each state.
He said, “Some states identified newborn care as their biggest challenge, so they received incubators and baby warmers. Others faced oxygen shortages and were provided oxygen concentrators. These interventions are strategic and evidence-based.”
While saying that medical equipment alone would not solve Nigeria’s maternal mortality burden, he said it was important for states to urgently address staffing shortages, weak referral systems and poor infrastructure in secondary healthcare facilities.
“We must ensure these facilities are not only equipped but fully functional. Staffing shortages at the secondary healthcare level remain a major concern,” he said.
National Coordinator of the SWAp Coordination Office, Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, said that the program was built around accountability, sustainability, and performance-based rewards for states delivering measurable healthcare improvements.
He said, “One of our biggest operations is a pay-for-results system where states do the heavy lifting and are rewarded for achieving agreed healthcare targets.”
The Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Kelechi Ohiri, said that the NHIA had supported CEmONC services in 245 healthcare facilities nationwide since the program commenced in 2024.
Ohiri, who was represented by Dr. Nnena Kalu, said that since implementation began, the agency has recorded over 45,000 claims across 245 protected facilities.
He highlighted that neonatal care services had been expanded to about 10 facilities, with over 3,000 claims already processed for newborn care interventions.
He also enjoined state governments to complement the intervention with skilled workforce, stable electricity, efficient supply chains and effective referral systems.
Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, said the SWAp framework was strengthening collaboration between the Federal Government and states to improve healthcare service delivery.
“What this represents is a coordinated incentive framework. The Federal Government provides equipment while states invest in infrastructure and workforce. This is reducing duplication and improving efficiency,” Filani said.
