Maternal death constitutes socio-economic losses, security threats

The loss of a mother during or after childbirth deprives a child and other children in the family of basic motherly care and moral education needed by members of a society to behave in an acceptable manner.

A recent study on the consequences of maternal morbidity and maternal mortality published by The National Academies Press indicated a relationship between maternal death and infant death as well malnutrition among children under 5 years of age.

Similarly, maternal mortality rate (MMR) has been found to impact negatively on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of countries in the WHO African region. In a study on ‘Effects of maternal mortality on gross domestic product (GDP) in the WHO African region’ published in year 2006 by African Journal of Health Sciences, the maternal mortality of a single person was found to reduce per capita GDP by US$ 0.36 per year. The study demonstrated that maternal mortality has a statistically significant negative effect on GDP.

“Thus, as policy-makers strive to increase GDP through land reform programs, capital investments, export promotion and increase in educational enrolment, they should always remember that investments in maternal mortality reducing interventions promises significant economic returns.” the authors concluded.

Health care is a constitutional and human right:

The chapter II (article) 17(3)(d)) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which refers to the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy requires all organs of government, authorities and persons exercising legislative, executive or judicial powers to ensure adequate medical and health facilities for all persons in Nigeria.

In view of this, many experts have likened the right to health to fundamental human rights, which are said to be justiciable rights and guaranteed by the constitution of Nigeria. The United Nations in 1987 described human rights as those rights ‘which are inherent in our nature and without which we cannot function as human beings’.

The right to quality health (including maternal health) is also an important obligation of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because the country has ratified international laws and instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The Convention of the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), The Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other regional treaties like The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Thus, most needless deaths of women and children would be avoided if the government is responsive and provides adequate and affordable maternal and child health care through sufficient, motivated and skilled health workers. This can only be achieved when the health sector is sufficiently funded according to international standards such as the 15% specified by the African Union Head of States during the Abuja Declaration of April 2001 held in Abuja.

-DevComs