Nigeria Records Drop in Maternal Deaths

Nigeria has recorded a drop in facility-reported maternal deaths and an increase in revitalised primary healthcare centres, according to John Ovuoraye, Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics (FMoHSW).

Ovuoraye disclosed this on Tuesday during the 2026 Joint Annual Review (JAR) in Abuja, where stakeholders assessed health-sector progress and set priorities for 2027.

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Director said the country recorded 3,273 facility-reported maternal deaths in 2026, down from 5,000 in 2024. He also said the number of revitalised primary healthcare centres rose to 3,504 in 2026, up from 1,610 in 2025.

According to him, all 36 states and the FCT have now conducted their Joint Annual Reviews. This represents an improvement from the 96 per cent recorded earlier.

“I think we need to applaud that,” he said, describing the progress as a sign that states are taking greater responsibility for reviewing their health systems.

Ovuoraye also said the number of people enrolled in health insurance had increased to 24.1 million from 21.1 million in the previous year. He added that state health budget allocations had risen to ₦3.44 trillion from ₦1.86 trillion.

The ministry also recorded progress in the early detection of health emergencies. Ovuoraye said 87 per cent of reported cases were detected within seven days, up from about 78 per cent. However, he said the government must increase domestic health financing in 2027 to sustain the gains.

“We have been trying. We are making progress, but we can do more,” he said.

He also called for the establishment of a human resources for health programme, saying the proposal had featured in previous discussions and resolutions but needed to move forward.

Ovuoraye further urged stakeholders to certify identified primary healthcare facilities that are ready to provide basic emergency and newborn care.

He said the country must also translate health system improvements into better outcomes before the end of the year. Other priorities include establishing a single, reliable source of health data, improving outbreak response and strengthening the 7-1-7 approach to detecting, notifying and responding to public health threats.

He also stressed the need for stronger accountability among government agencies, state authorities and development partners.

The 2026 Joint Annual Review provides a platform for stakeholders to assess progress, identify gaps and agree on priorities for the health sector.

Ovuoraye added that collective action would be important in 2027, the final year of the Health Sector Strategic Blueprint, to ensure that current investments deliver measurable results.