Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Port Harcourt, Nigeria — The Rivers State Government has intensified efforts to confront the persistently high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality by identifying six local government areas within the state as priority zones for targeted intervention under the national Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Innovation Initiative (MAMII). The move reflects a data-driven approach by both state and federal health authorities to confront longstanding challenges in maternal and newborn health outcomes in Nigeria.
Officials from the Rivers State Ministry of Health confirmed that Etche, Akuku-Toru, Andoni, Ahoada West, Bonny, and Emohua are among 172 local government areas across Nigeria designated as having the highest burden of maternal and neonatal deaths. This classification is part of a broader federal strategy to prioritise areas that contribute disproportionately to maternal mortality nationwide under the MAMII framework.
At a five-day workshop held in Port Harcourt, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, stressed that the Rivers State Government is committed to understanding and addressing the multifaceted causes of maternal and newborn deaths in these LGAs. Speaking at the opening of the event, Dr. Oreh highlighted that the government’s objective is not merely to reduce mortality but to ultimately drive rates toward zero. She acknowledged the collaborative role of health sector stakeholders in the state, including clinical practitioners, community health leaders and development partners, in advancing evidence-based solutions.
The workshop, part of the MAMII programme’s implementation design phase, brought together health professionals, policymakers, and technical officers from across the state to analyse contributing factors behind maternal and neonatal fatalities and to begin crafting actionable intervention strategies. These strategies are expected to focus on strengthening care delivery at the community and facility levels, improving the continuum of maternal health services, and addressing systemic gaps in access to quality reproductive healthcare.
Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh emphasised that the state’s participation in the MAMII initiative aligns with a commitment to improved health outcomes under national and global health objectives, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on maternal and child health. She applauded the state’s health stakeholders for their proactive involvement and reiterated that the workshop would generate evidence-based plans tailored to the unique circumstances of each high-burden local government area.
National health authorities also emphasised the significance of the initiative. Dr. Adan Ahmad, Planning and State Engagement Associate with the National Sector Wide Approach (SWAP) Coordination office of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, underscored that reducing maternal and neonatal mortality remains a national priority. He commended the Rivers State Health Ministry and its leadership for stepping forward to align state priorities with federal strategies and for committing to measurable progress.
The MAMII framework is a large-scale government health programme targeting 172 LGAs across Nigeria that account for a significant proportion of the country’s maternal and newborn mortality burden. The initiative seeks to reduce deaths by improving health system performance, increasing service coverage and quality, and promoting community engagement in preventive and curative care. Previous reports from health authorities show that this targeted approach has already contributed to modest declines in maternal and newborn deaths in pilot areas nationwide.
Rivers State’s action plan builds on existing health programmes and interventions. Health officials highlighted that the state has already undertaken integrated maternal, newborn and child health outreach activities, including vaccination campaigns, antenatal care drives and family support services, to bolster maternal and child health outcomes more broadly. These activities also aim to address socio-economic and cultural barriers that affect healthcare utilisation among women of reproductive age.
Local health experts and community representatives who attended the workshop described the state’s efforts as timely and necessary. They pointed out that many maternal and newborn deaths result from preventable causes such as obstetric haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and infections that can be effectively managed when women have timely access to quality medical care. Addressing these causes requires not only improved clinical services but also enhanced community awareness, transport networks for emergency referrals, and robust data systems to monitor progress.
In his remarks, a senior federal health official noted that the success of the MAMII programme in Rivers State will depend on sustained coordination between the state health ministry, local government health departments, frontline healthcare workers and civil society partners. The official emphasised that collaborative efforts are critical to achieving the initiative’s objectives, particularly in areas with entrenched health service delivery challenges.
Representatives from development partners and health advocacy groups present at the workshop also offered support for the state’s strategy. They said that integrating community-level interventions with facility enhancements — such as improved emergency obstetric care capacity and expanded antenatal services — could accelerate reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality. Such partnerships often bring technical expertise, resources, and broader public health perspectives to complement government actions.
Despite notable challenges, stakeholders expressed cautious optimism that the concerted focus on high-burden areas like Etche, Akuku-Toru, Andoni, Ahoada West, Bonny, and Emohua can yield measurable improvements. In particular, they urged that the outcomes of the workshop — including specific intervention plans and performance indicators — be disseminated promptly to guide implementation in the coming months.
The Rivers State initiative is part of a larger national effort to confront one of Nigeria’s most persistent public health problems. Maternal and neonatal mortality remain high relative to global averages, and government and health sector leaders have repeatedly emphasised the need for strategies that combine prevention, quality clinical care and robust health systems strengthening. The workshop in Port Harcourt represents a formal step toward that integration, with the potential to shape future policy and practice in maternal and newborn health across the state.
Early indicators from similar MAMII engagements in other states suggest that collaborative, data-informed approaches can contribute to declines in mortality where they are implemented comprehensively. Based on these precedents, health authorities and community partners in Rivers State are now poised to roll out tailored interventions — informed by local data and global best practices — that aim to save the lives of mothers and newborns and drive sustainable improvements in health outcomes.
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