Public Health Issue In Nigeria

Maternal mortality is also a highly significant public health issue in Nigeria, where pregnancy is perceived as a risky condition for most women. Even with the continued efforts toward improving maternal health outcomes, Nigeria retains one of the highest maternal mortality ratios globally.

This is a staggering statistic that highlights the need for intersectoral interventions by government ministries, non-governmental organizations, local leaders, and other stakeholders toward addressing the multifaceted determinants of the unacceptable high rate of deaths among pregnant women.

In a major move to tackle this long-standing problem, the Love For Health organization, a non-governmental organization with a long history of advocating for public health programs, recently launched a campaign in Lagos whose central objective was to reduce maternal mortality ratios across Nigeria.

The organization has also set a pioneering vision of assisting 15,000 poor pregnant women who, at the moment, cannot afford safe delivery services, citing that good maternal healthcare is a survival determinant during childbirth.

Founded in 2008 by Dr. Yusuf Haroun, an American trained Nigerian medical doctor who strives to improve the health of women, Love For Health has emerged as a dominant force in international health, particularly in Africa. The organization operates both in the United States and Nigeria, with a focus on providing free healthcare services to women, especially those in low-income communities.

Its vision is to focus on empowering health and gender equity, remembering all women have the right to receive safe, quality, and dignified maternal healthcare regardless of socioeconomic status.

The work of the organization comes under a broad spectrum of programs to build public health infrastructure, human capacity, disease surveillance, laboratory, and emergency response systems. It centers on promoting community-driven health programs, strengthening local health facilities, and spurring integrated solutions to the root causes of maternal health disparities.

The organization has built a reputation over the years through its dedication to sustainable health improvement in collaboration with the host communities to build capacity and improve health literacy.

Apart from its operation in Nigeria, the existence of the Love For Health organization in the United States indicates its intention to address health inequalities that confuse African women on and off the continent. Its activities are multidimensional through health education, lobbying, and direct intervention programs that seek the prevention of avoidable maternal deaths. The activities of the organization are based on the belief that maternal health is a component of broader gender equity and social justice movements.

This campaign’s launch in Lagos is a testament to the organization’s dedicated work to mobilize resources, raise awareness, and mobilize people’s engagement in the fight against maternal deaths. It also is a call for greater coordination among public health players to ensure vulnerable women receive the care they need to prevent avoidable deaths during delivery.

As Nigeria continues to battle to maintain low maternal mortality, initiatives such as this one serve as a reminder of the key role that dedicated non-profit organizations can play in complementing government efforts and spurring community-based solutions to improved maternal health outcomes.