Maternal Health Gains At Risk Without Stronger Primary Healthcare — MRH Collective

The Maternal and Reproductive Health Collective (MRH Collective) has warned that efforts to increase access to maternal healthcare for vulnerable pregnant women could be undermined unless government strengthens primary healthcare facilities across the country.

The Chief Operating Officer of the initiative, Funmi Owosho, raised the concern during a community sensitisation programme organised under the MamaBase Programme at the Lekki Primary Health Centre in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Development Area of Lagos State.

Owosho said while the programme was successfully identifying vulnerable pregnant women and driving demand for antenatal care and skilled delivery, the availability of functional and adequately staffed health facilities remained critical to achieving sustainable improvements in maternal health outcomes.

“We are working at the community and we are driving demand to the facilities. But when women come to the facilities and they are not able to get the care they need, it’s more or less like a wasted effort,” she said.

She explained that MamaBase was designed to contribute to reducing maternal mortality by helping vulnerable women overcome barriers to accessing quality maternal healthcare.

According to her, the programme uses the MILE approach, which involves mapping vulnerable communities, identifying pregnant women, linking them with nearby health facilities, educating them and providing support.

Owosho said community health workers identify vulnerable pregnant women and encourage them to register for antenatal care and deliver at recognised healthcare facilities.

She added that the programme sometimes assists beneficiaries with registration, screening and ultrasound costs, while women who deliver through the initiative may also receive delivery incentives and baby supplies.

The Chief Operating Officer disclosed that MamaBase currently operates in Lagos State and is preparing to commence implementation in Kaduna State.

She appealed to governments, corporate organisations and individuals to partner with the initiative to expand its reach to more underserved communities.

Owosho stressed that community mobilisation must be matched by investment in healthcare infrastructure, personnel and service delivery to ensure that women referred to health facilities receive the care they need.

The Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Coordinator for MamaBase, Chukwubuikem Ohia, said the area was selected because of the presence of vulnerable communities requiring improved access to maternal healthcare.

Ohia called for increased government engagement and wider public education through conventional and digital media to encourage women to embrace antenatal care and skilled delivery.

A representative of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Adeola Ejiata, said the company’s partnership with MamaBase was part of its corporate social responsibility focus on maternal healthcare.

She encouraged the programme to expand its activities to more underserved communities.

A community health practitioner, Bernard Mercy Imabong, said community health workers remained central to MamaBase because they reached vulnerable women directly in their communities.

Some beneficiaries, including Mrs Tajudeen Bukola, Mrs Salami Kehinde and Mrs Nkiruka John, testified to receiving medical, financial and educational support during pregnancy, delivery and after childbirth.

They urged pregnant women to seek care at recognised healthcare facilities and avoid unregistered practitioners.