Five months into 2015, Nigeria is unlikely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. However, we must celebrate the step improvements made. A recent WHO publication show that 70% of maternal deaths occur as a result of complications of pregnancy and during childbirth, including haemorrhage, hypertension, sepsis, and abortion and 85% of baby deaths are due to complications of preterm birth, birth asphyxia, death during pregnancy such as stillbirth and neonatal infections. These are preventable conditions with timely and appropriate intervention.
Though the end of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals is fast approaching the WHO’s approach is vital to the development of a new global strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health, to ensure that sexual and reproductive health and rights are included within the post-2015 sustainable development agenda. It’s an approach and a vision that the new government of the Federal Government of Nigeria should imbibe as a priority in its agenda. Every Nigerian Life is Valuable - we need the political will and buy-in.