Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
UNICEF has sounded an urgent alarm over persistently high maternal and child mortality rates in Kano State, describing the situation as a serious public health crisis that demands immediate and coordinated efforts to improve access to quality healthcare and expand life‑saving interventions across the region. The warning, issued by senior UNICEF officials during a state‑level health training event, underscores deep challenges in reproductive, newborn, and child health that threaten progress toward national and global health targets.
UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Field Operations and Emergency, Judith Leveillee, addressed government health officials, community leaders, and healthcare workers at a maternal, neonatal and child mortality reduction training organized by the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board in collaboration with UNICEF. Leveillee highlighted that Kano — Nigeria’s most populous state — continues to register some of the highest maternal and under‑five mortality burdens in the country, with severe gaps in access to essential health services that endanger the lives of mothers, newborns, and young children.
According to UNICEF’s assessment, only about half of pregnant women in Kano are attended by skilled health service providers, and a significantly smaller proportion — approximately 36 percent of women — give birth with the assistance of skilled attendants. These figures fall well below international norms and are particularly concerning because deliveries without skilled birth care are strongly associated with preventable deaths from complications during labour and childbirth.
Leveillee also cited statistics indicating that under‑five mortality in the state is extremely high, with estimates of up to 158 deaths per 1,000 live births, reflecting a pattern in which preventable causes remain major contributors to child deaths. These include lack of timely newborn care, limited immunisation coverage, malnutrition, and the failure of many families to receive basic treatment for common illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhoea — conditions that are largely manageable with proper access to healthcare.
Presenting these findings, Leveillee stressed that the situation poses a significant public health challenge that requires urgent coordination and sustainable implementation, and she acknowledged the efforts of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the Kano State Government in aligning interventions with national health priorities. She emphasised that UNICEF will continue to support critical programmes, particularly the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative and the Community-Based Health Worker programme across more than 200 wards in 18 high‑burden local government areas of the state.
UNICEF’s engagement in Kano aligns with its broader mandate to end preventable maternal and child deaths globally. The organisation’s health programmes focus on expanding maternal, newborn, and child survival services, strengthening primary healthcare systems, sustaining immunisation efforts, and addressing barriers to quality care — all key elements in reducing mortality rates. UNICEF highlights that progress made in reducing global maternal mortality has slowed in recent years, particularly in regions like sub‑Saharan Africa where access to quality health services remains uneven and many communities face critical shortages of trained health personnel and medical infrastructure.
Experts note that many of the common causes of maternal death — such as haemorrhage, pre‑eclampsia, infections, and complications requiring emergency obstetric care — are largely preventable when women have access to skilled care before, during, and after childbirth. Similarly, many child deaths occur due to preventable or treatable conditions if adequate health services are made available, including routine immunisation, early diagnosis and treatment of illnesses, and proper nutrition support.
The Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, represented at the training event by senior officials, reaffirmed its commitment to improving healthcare service delivery across primary health centres. They emphasised the importance of scaling up skilled birth attendance, reinforcing health facilities with essential supplies and equipment, and empowering community health workers to bridge gaps in care — particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Despite these efforts, structural challenges persist. Many primary health facilities in Kano operate with limited hours due to shortages of staff and essential medical supplies, forcing pregnant women in rural communities to travel long distances, often in unsafe conditions, to reach higher‑level care facilities. Such barriers not only delay critical care but also increase the risk of complications that contribute to poor maternal and infant outcomes.
Public health advocates and health system analysts argue that reducing maternal and child mortality in Kano — and across Nigeria more broadly — will require sustained investment in health infrastructure, workforce training, community education, and equitable access to preventive and curative services. They stress the need for a multifaceted approach that addresses underlying determinants of poor health, such as poverty, malnutrition, inadequate sanitation, and limited health literacy, which disproportionately affect disadvantaged populations and compound risks for mothers and children.
UNICEF’s call for urgent action in Kano also resonates with global health commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to reduce global maternal mortality and end preventable deaths of newborns and children under five by 2030. Achieving these targets will require intensified efforts at national and subnational levels, particularly in regions where mortality rates remain high and health inequities are entrenched.
As implementation of the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative and related health interventions continues, UNICEF and health partners are pushing for strengthened coordination among government agencies, community stakeholders, and international organisations. The goal is to create resilient health systems capable not only of saving lives today but also of providing sustainable, high‑quality care for mothers and children into the future.
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