“One Woman Lost Every Seven Minutes” — UNICEF Raises Concern Over Nigeria’s Maternal Death Crisis

UNICEF has raised fresh concerns over the alarming rate of maternal deaths in Nigeria, revealing that one Nigerian woman dies every seven minutes from childbirth or pregnancy-related complications.

The Agency disclosed that Nigeria records an estimated 75,000 maternal deaths annually, ranking among Countries with the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.

Speaking on the worsening healthcare challenge, UNICEF noted that most of the deaths are preventable but continue to occur due to weak healthcare infrastructure, shortage of trained medical personnel, poverty, delayed emergency response, and poor access to quality maternal healthcare services, especially in rural communities.

Findings gathered by Global Mirror News show that many pregnant women across Nigeria still face serious difficulties accessing hospitals with skilled birth attendants, while the country’s economic hardship has made antenatal care and emergency treatment increasingly unaffordable for many families.

Health experts identified excessive bleeding after childbirth, infections, unsafe abortions, pregnancy-related high blood pressure, and delayed medical intervention as some of the leading causes of maternal deaths in the Country.

According to UNICEF, Northern Nigeria and conflict-affected communities continue to record some of the highest cases due to insecurity, displacement, and the lack of functional healthcare facilities.

Medical stakeholders have also linked the growing crisis to the increasing migration of Nigerian healthcare workers abroad.

Over the past few years, thousands of doctors and nurses have reportedly relocated to Countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States in search of better working conditions and improved welfare, leaving many government hospitals understaffed and overstretched.

Globally, the United Nations says a woman dies every two minutes from pregnancy or childbirth complications, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for the highest number of cases worldwide.

UNICEF has now called on Governments, Healthcare Institutions, and development partners to take urgent steps toward improving maternal healthcare services and reducing avoidable deaths across Nigeria.