Maternal care means the healthcare services given to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and after they give birth. Good maternal care helps keep mothers and babies safe and healthy. In Nigeria, experts say the country needs to do more to improve maternal care for all women.
Understanding Nigeria’s Maternal Care Challenge
Nigeria has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Maternal mortality means mothers dying during pregnancy or childbirth. According to the 2025 Nigeria Health Statistics Report from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Nigeria recorded an estimated 20,811 maternal, neonatal, and under-five deaths between January and September 2025. This number shows that Nigeria needs urgent action to improve maternal care.
What is Task Shifting in Maternal Care?
Task shifting is a strategy that helps expand maternal care services. Task shifting means giving some medical tasks to trained healthcare workers who have less training than doctors. For example, a well-trained nurse or midwife can do certain tasks that normally only doctors do. This helps more women get maternal care because there are not enough doctors in Nigeria.
Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration Health Services and Environment Secretariat, spoke at the 2025 Task-shifting symposium in Abuja. She explained that task shifting works when healthcare workers receive clear instructions, good supervision, continuous training, and proper support.
How Task Shifting Improves Maternal Care
When task shifting is done correctly, it brings many benefits to maternal care. Task shifting reduces delays in emergency care during childbirth. It expands access to life-saving treatments for mothers. It improves the quality of care before and after birth. It also reduces the workload on doctors and skilled birth attendants who are already working too hard.
Countries like Ethiopia and Uganda have used task shifting successfully. These countries saw more women receiving skilled care during birth. They also saw fewer preventable maternal deaths. Nigeria can learn from these success stories to improve its own maternal care system.
The Role of Research in Maternal Care
Research plays an important part in improving maternal care. Research helps experts understand why maternal care systems are not working well. It guides leaders to create solutions that fit Nigeria’s specific needs. Research also helps track progress and identify areas that need improvement.
Dr. Fasawe explained that research serves as a bridge between policy vision and effective implementation. Policy means the rules and plans that government creates. Implementation means actually doing what the policy says. Research shows what is working, what needs improvement, and what should be stopped. This information helps make maternal care policies more effective.
The Workforce Problem in Maternal Care
Dr. Francis Ayomoh, a Public Health Physician and Honorary Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oxford, presented important findings about Nigeria’s healthcare workforce. He conducted a study called “Task-shifting for maternal healthcare services: A qualitative study of policy and practice in Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.”
The study found that at least 50 percent of primary healthcare workers in the Federal Capital Territory are unpaid volunteers. These workers do not receive government salaries. Instead, they rely on small payments from health facilities. This situation is not fair and makes it hard to provide good maternal care.
Dr. Ayomoh said Nigeria has a severe shortage of healthcare workers. Many trained nurses, midwives, and community health workers are available to work but are not on the government payroll. He called for the government to employ as many healthcare workers as it can afford to pay. Paying these workers proper salaries will improve maternal care across the country.
What Needs to Change for Better Maternal Care
Experts at the symposium called for several important changes to strengthen maternal care in Nigeria. First, the government needs to show stronger political commitment. Political commitment means leaders must make maternal care a top priority and take action.
Second, the government needs to invest more money in the healthcare workforce. Investment means spending money to hire and train more healthcare workers. Paying healthcare workers fair salaries will help keep them motivated and working in maternal care.
Third, Nigeria needs clearer policy direction. Policies must be based on research and evidence. They must include clear protocols for task shifting. Protocols are step-by-step instructions that healthcare workers follow. Policies must also include structured supervision and continuous training programs.
Fourth, maternal care must focus on patients. Patient-centered care means putting the needs and experiences of mothers first. Healthcare workers should treat every mother with respect and provide care that meets her individual needs.
The FCT’s Commitment to Maternal Care
Dr. Fasawe reaffirmed the Federal Capital Territory’s commitment to reducing preventable maternal and child deaths. She said the FCT has zero tolerance for maternal, infant, or neonatal mortality. This means the FCT believes no woman should die while bringing life into the world. Every maternal death is preventable with the right care and systems in place.
Balancing Access and Quality in Maternal Care
One major challenge in improving maternal care is balancing access with quality. Access means making sure all women can reach maternal care services. Quality means making sure the care they receive is safe and effective.
With Nigeria’s healthcare workforce shortage, task shifting increases access by allowing more healthcare workers to provide maternal care services. However, this must be done carefully to maintain quality. Healthcare workers need proper training, clear guidelines, and ongoing support to provide high-quality maternal care.
Key Recommendations for Improving Maternal Care
Based on research and expert opinions, several recommendations can improve maternal care in Nigeria. The government should employ more primary healthcare workers and pay them proper salaries. Healthcare workers need continuous training programs to update their skills. Task shifting protocols must be clear and evidence-based. Supervision systems should be strong and supportive. Research should guide all maternal care policies and practices. Patient-centered care should be the foundation of all maternal care services.
Why Maternal Care Matters
Maternal care is essential for the health and wellbeing of women and babies. Every woman deserves safe pregnancy and childbirth. Every baby deserves a healthy start in life. When maternal care systems work well, fewer mothers and babies die. Families become stronger. Communities become healthier. The entire nation benefits.
Nigeria can reduce its maternal mortality rate by implementing the recommendations from experts. With political commitment, workforce investment, clear policies, and evidence-based practices, Nigeria can build a maternal care system that saves lives.
Conclusion
Improving maternal care in Nigeria requires action from government, healthcare workers, researchers, and communities. Task shifting offers a practical solution to workforce shortages, but it must be implemented with proper training, supervision, and support. Research must continue to guide policy decisions and practice improvements. Most importantly, the government must invest in hiring and paying healthcare workers who are already trained and ready to serve.
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