As Nigeria marks National Safe Motherhood Day, a public health physician and maternal health advocate, Dr. Owen Omo-Ojo, has called for sustained action to end preventable maternal deaths across the country, stressing that no woman should die while giving life.
Dr. Omo-Ojo, who is also with HIGC Health Consultants, said the issue remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health and social justice challenges, noting that for many families, childbirth still ends in tragedy rather than celebration.
She added that most maternal deaths in Nigeria are preventable, with postpartum haemorrhage severe bleeding after childbirth identified as one of the leading causes.
She detailed that while the condition is fast and life-threatening, it is highly manageable when detected early and treated promptly.
She lamented that in many health facilities, blood loss during childbirth is still estimated visually instead of being accurately measured, a practice she said often leads to dangerous delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Also, she further highlighted the importance of adopting practical, evidence-based interventions such as the World Health Organisation-backed E-MOTIVE protocol, which promotes accurate measurement of blood loss and rapid-response treatment to improve maternal outcomes.
Despite updated national guidelines and policy adoption, he noted that implementation remains weak across both public and private health facilities, creating a critical gap that continues to cost lives.
She therefore called for stronger political will, increased financing, and effective implementation of maternal health interventions. She added that safe motherhood is a fundamental right that must be prioritised at all levels of government to safeguard Nigerian women’s lives.
