By Becky Usman

A staggering 82,000 Nigerian women succumb to pregnancy-related complications each year, according to the Maternal and Reproductive Health Research Collective (MRHRC). Professor Bosede Afolabi, the founder and chairperson of MRHRC, emphasized the urgency of intensifying reproductive health campaigns, especially in rural communities, to curb this alarming mortality rate.

Professor Afolabi, a Gynecology expert, expressed concern over the preventable nature of most of these deaths. MRHRC aims to combat this crisis by providing safe deliveries for 5,000 pregnant women in Lagos. The organization seeks to raise N100 million to support this initiative by the end of the month. The funds will be utilized for training healthcare workers, consistent antenatal care, and ensuring safe deliveries.

Dr. Mobolanle Balogun, an associate professor of Public Health at the University of Lagos, highlighted the causes behind the high mortality rate, including complications during delivery, obstructed labor, post-delivery infections, and hypertension. She underscored the challenges faced by women, such as limited access to healthcare facilities, lack of skilled birth attendants, cultural barriers, poverty, and inadequate information about pregnancy preparation and care.

The situation demands urgent action to bridge the healthcare gap and enhance awareness, ensuring that pregnancy is not a life-threatening condition for Nigerian women.