Nigeria: caesarean sections are free for poor women

Called the Maternal Mortality Reduction Initiative, this government program will enable eligible women to benefit from free caesarean sections in public hospitals in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government has taken this initiative to combat the alarming rate of maternal mortality.

The country records an average of 1,047 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, one of the highest rates in the world. Lack of access to surgical care, mainly in rural areas, is considered one of the main causes of this situation.

To benefit from this program, expectant mothers must register with the public health insurance scheme.

The Initiative for the Reduction of Maternal Mortality has received international support, notably from the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), who consider it to be transformative.