Key points
- Lagos Government calls for stronger grassroots awareness, counselling and access to quality healthcare to reduce maternal deaths.
- Officials warn that stigma, poor awareness and unsafe termination practices continue to put women and girls at risk.
- Community and religious leaders are urged to support reproductive health awareness and early access to care.
Main story
The Lagos State Government has called for stronger grassroots awareness, counselling and access to quality healthcare to address maternal deaths, particularly those linked to unsafe termination of pregnancy.
The Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Mobolaji Ogunlende, made the call on Monday at a memorial and advocacy meeting in Lagos organised to raise awareness about preventable maternal deaths.
Ogunlende, represented by a Lagos youth ambassador, Ms Suliat Olaniyan, said maternal mortality remained a serious concern with consequences extending beyond individual families to communities and society.
He said women and girls should have access to safe, quality and respectful healthcare, particularly during pregnancy and childbirth.
“Every girl, every woman deserves access to safe, quality and respectful healthcare, especially during pregnancy and childbirth,” he said.
The commissioner warned against unsafe practices, including seeking assistance from unqualified providers and using harmful substances to terminate pregnancies.
He said some young women continued to patronise unqualified providers who used dangerous substances, resulting in avoidable complications and deaths.
Ogunlende said stigma and fear also prevented some young girls from seeking help early, stressing the importance of counselling and open communication within families.
“We have counsellors, but many people do not make use of them,” he said.
He urged parents to encourage their children to discuss problems openly and to pay attention to their associations, noting that peer influence could contribute to risky decisions.
“If you notice anything unusual, talk to your child. Guidance and support can prevent many of these situations,” he said.
The commissioner also called for a reduction in religious and cultural stigma surrounding reproductive health issues, arguing that protecting lives should take priority.
“This is not about religion; it is about life. If a child makes a mistake and is alive, there is room for correction.
“But if the child dies, there is nothing to hold on to,” he said.
Ogunlende urged stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns at the community level, saying many residents still underestimated the seriousness of maternal mortality.
“Maternal death is real. We must continue to educate our communities and ensure that people seek proper medical care,” he said.
The Chairman of Ikeja Local Government Area, Mr Olalekan Dauda, also called for stronger community collaboration, improved awareness and greater access to reproductive healthcare.
Dauda identified stigma, inadequate awareness and limited knowledge of available reproductive health services as factors contributing to unwanted pregnancies and preventable maternal deaths.
He said healthcare personnel and facilities were available within the local government but that many residents were unaware of the services they could access.
“As we speak, I have six staff in Ikeja local government service, including nurses, matrons and counsellors, but people are not aware,” he said.
Dauda said government efforts needed to be complemented by stronger community engagement.
“Our best is not enough. We must continue to engage our people,” he said.
He appealed to religious leaders to participate in awareness campaigns, noting their influence among young people.
“These youths listen more to their imams and pastors. We need to build a community around this issue,” Dauda said.
The chairman also recounted a personal experience involving his daughter, saying stigma and fear surrounding pregnancy had nearly resulted in a tragedy within his family.
“I almost lost my daughter in a similar situation. She became pregnant and could not speak up due to stigma,” he said.
Dauda warned that young girls were increasingly turning to unregulated pills and concoctions, exposing themselves to potentially harmful consequences.
“A lot of these girls are taking harmful substances daily. We need urgent action to save the girl child,” he said.
The event was organised by the Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre (WARDC), in collaboration with the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos Chapter.
The meeting was convened to honour women and girls who died following preventable complications associated with unsafe termination of pregnancy.
It featured testimonies from survivors, relatives of victims and advocates working on issues affecting women, including stigma, inadequate healthcare access and gaps in support systems.
The issues
The discussions highlighted three interconnected barriers to preventing maternal deaths: inadequate awareness, stigma and unsafe healthcare practices.
Officials said some residents do not know about reproductive health services available within their communities, while fear of judgement can prevent young girls from seeking counselling or medical assistance.
The use of unqualified providers, unregulated medicines and harmful substances can further increase the risk of severe complications.
The officials therefore stressed the need to move awareness beyond formal healthcare settings and into communities, while involving parents, religious leaders and other influential stakeholders.
What’s being said
Ogunlende said access to proper healthcare and early counselling could help prevent avoidable deaths.
Dauda similarly argued that government health services would have limited impact if residents were unaware of them.
He called for religious leaders to become more involved in community awareness, saying young people often listen closely to their guidance.
What’s next
The Lagos Government and community stakeholders are expected to intensify grassroots awareness and counselling on reproductive health and the dangers associated with unsafe practices.
Greater involvement of parents, religious leaders and community organisations will also be needed to encourage young people to seek appropriate assistance early.
Bottom line
Lagos authorities say reducing maternal deaths will require more than healthcare facilities alone.
They are calling for stronger community awareness, accessible counselling, open family communication and greater efforts to reduce stigma so that women and girls can seek appropriate care before preventable complications become fatal.
