Prominent Lawyer and human rights activitst, Mr Femi Falana SAN, has called on the federal government, state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to extend free caesarean section to all indigent pregnant women.

In a statement on Sunday, Falana, who is the Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB), said doing so was the only way to reduce maternal mortality and infant mortality to the barest minimum in Nigeria.

Falana’s statement read: “Sometime in November last year, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announced that free caesarean sections would be provided to Nigerian women in need. The Minister made the announcement during the launch of the ‘Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative.’

“In April this year, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) said it has commenced free Caesarean Sections (CS) for pregnant women in over 100 hospitals across the country. The Director-General of NHIA, Kelechi Ohiri, disclosed that the intervention is under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) Programme.

“Since the initiative represents a commitment to reducing maternal and newborn mortality across Nigeria, the federal government, as well as the state governments and the Federal Capital Territory, should extend it to all indigent pregnant women. This is the only way to reduce maternal mortality and infant mortality to the barest minimum in Nigeria.”

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