Niger govt. begins free Caesarean sections, snakebite treatment in 5 hospitals

….As pregnant women hail governor

By Danni Ebi, Minna

The Niger State Government has commenced free Cesarean section services for pregnant women who cannot afford the life-saving procedure as part of measures to reduce maternal mortality and improve access to emergency healthcare across the state.

The State Commissioner for Health, Murtala Muhammad Bagana, disclosed this during a media parley in Minna, saying the initiative is being implemented in partnership with the Federal Government under the Comprehensive Emergency New Hope Health Agenda.

Bagana said the intervention is targeted at women in rural and semi-urban communities, where access to emergency obstetric care remains a major challenge.

According to him, the administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has made significant investments in the health sector, leading to improvements in maternal healthcare. 

He, however, noted that recent maternal health indicators had become a source of concern, prompting the government to introduce additional interventions.

“However, in recent months, we discovered that the indices are not looking as impressive, and the government is doing all within its power to reverse the trend,” the Commissioner said.

He explained that the program is aimed at ensuring that no pregnant woman is denied emergency obstetric care because of financial difficulties.

To benefit from the free Cesarean section service, Bagana said beneficiaries must present a valid National Identification Number and obtain medical confirmation that the procedure is medically necessary.

The Commissioner listed the designated hospitals for the program as Tungan Malam General Hospital, Jumai Babangida Women and Children Hospital, Minna, General Hospital Suleja, General Hospital Bida, and IBB Specialist Hospital.

Bagana also announced that the state government has approved free treatment for victims of road traffic accidents and snakebites at designated public hospitals.

He said the intervention is intended to ensure that emergency cases receive prompt medical attention irrespective of the victims’ financial status.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery, revealing that efforts are ongoing to ensure that all 274 wards in the state have functional primary healthcare centres.

He said strengthening primary healthcare remains a key strategy in expanding access to quality healthcare services and reducing preventable deaths across the state.