The Niger Delta Development Commission is rolling out a new grassroots campaign to cut Nigeria’s high rate of maternal and newborn deaths, with a focus on training traditional birth attendants and linking communities to formal healthcare.The initiative was unveiled during workshops held in Delta and Bayelsa states this week, as part of NDDC’s support for the Federal Government’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative.
Training the First Responders in Rural Communities
At the workshops, traditional birth attendants, TBAs, were taken through modules on safe maternal and newborn care, early detection of pregnancy complications, and prompt referral of high-risk cases to hospitals. Speaking on behalf of NDDC Managing Director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, Principal Manager, Education, Health and Social Services, Mrs. Dare-Oloko Kuami, described the rate of maternal and child deaths as unacceptable.“The rate of death in children and women is alarming and needs eradication. This training is meant to enlighten our women and should not be taken for granted,” she said.
The commission said the goal is not to replace orthodox medicine, but to combine traditional practices with modern care so that women in hard-to-reach riverine communities get help faster.
Why the Niger Delta Needs Targeted Action
Maternal and newborn mortality remains a national crisis. Government data shows Nigeria contributes about 30% of global maternal deaths, a figure the Tinubu administration has called unacceptable. To address it, the Federal Ministry of Health launched the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, MAMII, now operational in 32 states. Through MAMII, over 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns have already benefited from emergency obstetric and neonatal care.
The National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System, NEMSAS, has also deployed more than 600 ambulances nationwide and transported over 78,000 beneficiaries, with pregnant women accounting for about 60% of cases.NDDC’s campaign fits into this broader push. By focusing on TBAs who are often the first point of contact in Niger Delta communities, the commission aims to close the gap between traditional practice and facility-based care.
From Coverage to Quality Care
Health officials stress that access alone is not enough. This year’s Safe Motherhood Day theme, “Closing the Gap: From Coverage to Quality Care for Every Mother,” underscores the need for timely, skilled and equitable services. The Federal Government has backed this with new policy tools including the Obstetrics Clinical and Newborn Service Protocol, Life Saving Skills packages, revised Antenatal Care Guidelines, and the MAMII Comprehensive Guide for implementation.In the Niger Delta, the challenge is compounded by distance, poor roads, and limited PHCs. That’s why NDDC is prioritising awareness and referral systems alongside training.
A Systems Approach, Not One-Off Intervention
NDDC officials say the campaign is designed to be sustainable. TBAs are being taught danger signs such as bleeding, high blood pressure, and sepsis, and how to activate emergency transport to the nearest PHC or general hospital.The effort aligns with federal plans to have at least one functional PHC per ward. Government reports show over 3,000 PHCs have been revitalised with about 2,000 more in progress.
Stakeholders at the Delta and Bayelsa workshops were also urged to track pregnancies at community level and encourage facility-based deliveries. The message from NDDC was clear: traditional knowledge is valuable, but it must work hand-in-hand with skilled health workers.
Beyond Statistics: Saving Families
Health experts note that maternal deaths have ripple effects. As one state health official put it during a related MAMII workshop, “When a mother dies, it’s not just that a woman is gone. The husband becomes a widower, the children become motherless, and there are significant limitations on socio-economic development.”Most of these deaths are preventable, caused by postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infections, and lack of skilled attendance.
NDDC’s intervention targets those gaps directly by equipping community caregivers with knowledge and a clear referral pathway.
The commission says the workshops in Delta and Bayelsa are the first phase, with plans to scale to other Niger Delta states. The training will be followed by monitoring, supply of basic delivery kits, and stronger collaboration with state ministries of health. At the national level, the government is pushing further reforms including the Nigeria Strategic Direction for Midwifery 2025–2030, aimed at expanding midwifery training and deploying more skilled birth attendants to rural areas.
For NDDC, the campaign is part of its broader mandate to improve human development in the region. By investing in mothers and newborns, officials say, the commission is investing in the future workforce and stability of Niger Delta communities.“As we train, we also remind our women: combine the best of tradition with the safety of modern care. No woman should die giving life,” a facilitator told participants in Bayelsa.
With maternal mortality still high, the success of the campaign will be measured not in workshops held, but in lives saved in villages across the creeks and communities of the Niger Delta.
