In a sobering revelation, Professor Bamidele Iwalokun, Director of Research at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), has declared that postpartum bleeding, also known as postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), is responsible for the majority of maternal deaths in Nigeria. The announcement was made during his keynote address at the investiture of the eighth President of the Rotary Club of Arepo Longbridge, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference Centre.
According to Prof. Iwalokun, Nigeria records approximately 245,000 pregnancy-related deaths annually, with postpartum haemorrhage accounting for 25% of these fatalities. “One in every 13 pregnant women dies during childbirth in Nigeria,” he stated, emphasizing the urgent need for systemic intervention.
The professor lamented the lack of adequate resources in many health facilities to manage postpartum bleeding effectively. He stressed that with proper interventions, maternal deaths could be reduced by as much as 145,000 annually, saving thousands of lives and improving maternal health outcomes nationwide.
In response to this crisis, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare recently launched national guidelines for the management of postpartum haemorrhage, including community-use protocols for Misoprostol and a labour care guide. These measures aim to reach 7 million pregnant women and 6 million births annually, under a Sector-Wide Approach through the Decentralised Facility Financing (DFF) package.
Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, echoed the urgency of the issue, noting that most maternal and newborn deaths are preventable with timely and quality care. He identified postpartum haemorrhage as a primary contributor to maternal mortality both in Nigeria and globally.