The Steer for Change Mother and Newborn Foundation has provided essential healthcare services and relief materials to 100 pregnant women and nursing mothers in the Ijedodo area of Lagos State.
Development Diaries reports that this was part of efforts to reduce high maternal and infant mortality rates in Nigeria.
The 2025 Nigeria Health Statistics Report released by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare shows that an estimated 20,811 maternal, neonatal, and under-five deaths were recorded in Nigeria between January and September 2025.
Nigeria remains among countries with a very high maternal mortality ratio, estimated at between about 500 and nearly 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and World Health Organisation (WHO)-linked data.
Speaking during the outreach on Saturday, the founder of the foundation, Kikelomo Adisa, said the intervention was designed to promote the health and well-being of vulnerable women in underserved communities who often lack access to basic maternal healthcare.
‘Many of these women have limited or no access to healthcare services, and that gap is a major contributor to preventable maternal and infant deaths’, she said.
‘This programme focuses on education, early detection of health risks, and practical support to ensure safe pregnancies and deliveries’.
Items distributed during the outreach included birth kits for expectant mothers, baby-care products for nursing mothers, mosquito nets to prevent malaria, as well as food items such as rice, groundnut oil, cereals for babies above six months, and clothing.
Beneficiaries were also screened for blood pressure and blood sugar levels, monitored for pregnancy-related complications, and counselled on nutrition, hygiene, and safe practices during and after pregnancy.
Adisa noted that the programme also placed strong emphasis on sensitising women on the importance of antenatal and postnatal care.
‘Antenatal and postnatal visits are not optional; they are lifesaving’, she said, adding that many maternal deaths in Nigeria are linked to late detection of complications that could have been managed if care was accessed early.
She urged government at all levels to strengthen policies and investments that guarantee unhindered access to quality maternal healthcare, particularly in low-income and hard-to-reach communities.
The founder also called for continuous training and engagement of birth attendants, noting that they are often the first point of contact for pregnant women in underserved areas.
Source: NAN
Photo source: NAN
