From Umar Dankano, Yola
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has engaged critical stakeholders to adopt the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) in Adamawa State.
Speaking at a two-day capacity-building training on the MAMII approach held in Yola on Monday, Mr. Ogeh Ajirioghede, an official of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) Coordination Office of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOHSE), said the initiative is one of the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, aimed at drastically reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in Nigeria.
Ajirioghede disclosed that 172 local government areas across 31 states have been identified as having the highest rates of maternal and neonatal deaths, necessitating urgent intervention to address the disturbing trend.
He confirmed that nine LGAs in Adamawa State are among the 172 councils contributing to 55% of maternal and neonatal deaths in the country, thus warranting targeted intervention through awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagement to address the issue in the affected communities.
“We are here to identify the drivers of maternal and neonatal deaths so that we can design context-specific initiatives that will help reduce mortality in these LGAs. Ultimately, our goal is to crash the rates of maternal and neonatal deaths in the country,” Ajirioghede said.
“Our collaboration includes stakeholders such as traditional leaders, LGA health teams, MDAs, insurance firms, state primary health care development agencies, and development partners to adopt a coordinated approach.
“We are also addressing issues related to health facility capacity, service readiness, and access. Once the selected LGAs are optimized to provide essential services, we expect a significant reduction in maternal and neonatal deaths,” he added.
In his welcome address, the Adamawa State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Chief Felix Tangwami, expressed concern over the staggering mortality rate, which accounts for up to 55% in the affected areas, calling it a serious health crisis requiring immediate action.
Tangwami attributed the high mortality rate to several factors including delays in accessing delivery services, lack of awareness among women regarding pregnancy and childbirth, cultural and religious barriers, and insufficient community mobilization.
He noted that the MAMII programme was jointly initiated by the federal, state, and local governments in 2024 to tackle maternal and child mortality and emphasized the importance of effective implementation by all stakeholders.
“I urge all participants to take this training seriously, with a view to safeguarding the lives of women and children in our society,” Tangwami charged.
“Stakeholders are being sensitized on the right strategies to adopt in addressing maternal and neonatal mortality both in Adamawa and across the country,” he added.
Our correspondent reports that the workshop, titled “MAMII: Nigeria’s Innovation Hub for Healthier Births”, was attended by 90 participants drawn from the health sector, traditional institutions, faith-based organizations, and the media. The event held from Monday, July 28 to Tuesday, July 29, 2025.
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