Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on the Federal Government to improve remuneration, welfare and working conditions for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals, warning that the country cannot address its maternal mortality crisis or retain medical talent in rural communities without investing in the human capital that sustains the health system.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, made the call on Monday at the "Unfinished" event organised by Ward-C in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja, where she participated in discussions on maternal health, women's rights and reproductive choices. She said tackling maternal mortality required more than building healthcare facilities, stressing that adequate personnel, equipment and support systems must be available to make such facilities effective. "Healthcare infrastructure could not function effectively without the human capital required to operate and sustain it," she said.
The senator outlined the specific conditions that health workers serving underserved communities require, including adequate remuneration, functional medical equipment, essential medicines, reliable electricity, conducive working environments and opportunities for professional development. She said improved conditions of service would motivate health workers and encourage them to remain in rural communities where they often operate under difficult circumstances. Her intervention comes amid a worsening health workforce crisis in Nigeria, where thousands of doctors and nurses emigrate annually in search of better pay and working conditions abroad. Official figures obtained by Saturday PUNCH showed that no fewer than 20,966 Nigerian health workers relocated abroad within one year, including 3,919 doctors, 7,487 nurses and midwives, 6,861 medical laboratory professionals, 702 pharmacists and 658 physiotherapists. Only 60,551 of the country's 95,456 registered doctors currently hold active practising licences, and just 51 per cent of licensed doctors are actively employed within Nigeria's health system.
On maternal mortality, Akpoti-Uduaghan said women in rural communities remained particularly vulnerable because many healthcare facilities lacked adequate personnel and equipment to manage complicated pregnancies and neonatal emergencies. She questioned the sustainability of equipment such as incubators in communities with unreliable electricity supply. "Is there electricity? Is there enough electricity in the rural areas to sustain the incubators wherever they are?" she asked. She called for stronger referral systems linking primary healthcare centres with general and specialist hospitals, as well as functional laboratories, blood banks, neonatal facilities, emergency transportation, electricity and water supply. She also questioned the accuracy of available maternal mortality data, saying deaths in rural communities were likely undercounted. "I don't think that data is really reflective of the situation in the rural communities. It will probably double up," she said.
The senator disclosed that her concern about maternal healthcare in underserved communities informed her decision to build a maternity centre in Kogi Central. In April 2025, she laid the foundation for a free maternity and child care centre in the district, emphasising the importance of staff quarters, noting that many doctors are reluctant to work in rural areas due to inadequate accommodation. Her advocacy on health worker welfare has been consistent, and she has previously praised the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for its work on drug safety, describing health as a foundational pillar of national development.
On reproductive choices, Akpoti-Uduaghan said exposure to different healthcare systems had broadened her understanding of the circumstances confronting some women and girls. She called for support systems that provide information, counselling and assistance to women facing difficult pregnancy-related decisions. "If I myself can be made to tilt from being pro-life to reasonably begin to appreciate the reason for choice, then I think I would say that I would love to support this kind of conversation," she said. She stressed the importance of ensuring that children are born into homes where they can receive care, love and support.
The event took place against the backdrop of Nigeria's persistent maternal health challenges. The World Health Organisation estimates that Nigeria accounts for more than 28 per cent of global maternal deaths, with a maternal mortality ratio of 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births as of 2020. In June 2026, the World Bank approved $400 million in financing to support Nigeria's efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality through improved access to quality healthcare. The Federal Government has also committed to improving maternal health outcomes through initiatives including the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health programme and the revitalisation of primary healthcare centres across the country.
The broader context of the senator's intervention is the ongoing crisis in Nigeria's health workforce. The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has issued a fresh two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government over unmet welfare demands, warning that failure to address outstanding issues could trigger industrial action. The association has consistently demanded the implementation of agreements on remuneration, career progression, professional allowances and improved working conditions. The Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council has also demanded a new minimum wage of ₦500,000, citing the erosion of purchasing power caused by high fuel and food prices.
For Nigerians, particularly women in rural communities, the senator's message carries both urgency and frustration. The country's health system is strained by the departure of thousands of trained professionals, and the facilities that remain often lack the personnel and equipment required to provide basic care. Akpoti-Uduaghan's call for better pay and welfare is an acknowledgment that the health system's problems cannot be solved by infrastructure alone. As she put it, healthcare infrastructure cannot function effectively without the human capital required to operate and sustain it, and investing in that human capital is essential to improving care for women and children, particularly in underserved communities.
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