NIGERIA – Nigeria has announced that free emergency Caesarean sections will be made available to “poor and vulnerable” women, in an ambitious plan to bring down the high number of mothers dying in childbirth. At 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births, Africa’s most populous nation has the fourth highest maternal mortality rate in the world and the lack of access to Caesareans is thought to be one of the reasons.

Many pregnant women, particularly in rural Nigeria are unable to receive emergency medical care partly due to the cost. “No woman should lose her life simply because she can’t afford a C-section,” Health Minister Muhammad Pate said while announcing the “powerful move”. While the price may vary across Nigeria’s different states, on average, a Caesarean costs around 60,000 naira ($36;£28) which can be beyond the reach of many.

More than 40% of Nigerians live below the international extreme poverty line of $2.15 per day, according to 2023 data from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics. The Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative launched on Thursday will now allow all eligible women to access Caesarean sections in public hospitals. (BBC)

Photo: Nigeria has the fourth highest maternal mortality rate in the world. (Getty Images)…[+]