The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has revealed the rationale behind the Federal Government’s decision to support women facing pregnancy complications, including the provision of free cesarean sections.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Professor Pate emphasised that President Bola Tinubu prioritizes the health and well-being of Nigerians as a core part of his vision for the country.

To reduce maternal mortality rates, the government has committed to ensuring that no woman loses her life due to an inability to afford life-saving procedures such as cesarean sections.

The Minister explained that the Federal Government has approved free emergency obstetric care for women in designated health facilities.

“(The Federal Government has approved) free treatment of emergency obstetric complications for women in the empanel facilities and that includes cesarean sections,” the minister said.

“So, it’s not only cesarean sections, excessive bleeding, obstruction, other complications of pregnancy. If a woman gets to a facility that is certified, the facility will be reimbursed for the care.

“The reason for that, I cannot emphasise this enough, the president is very clear in his mind that the health and wellbeing of Nigerians is core through his own agenda and vision for the country.

According to Pate, this effort aligns with broader reforms in the health sector, where the government is mobilising resources in collaboration with the Health Insurance Authority to sustain the initiative.

Beyond cesarean sections, the Federal Government is also providing free treatment for women suffering from vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), a severe childbirth-related condition that affects at least 10,000 women annually.

He said, “Vesicovaginal fistula is a complication of pregnancy and delivery, and at least 10,00 women annually get those complications.

“They leak urine, there are all kind of stigma in their families, many of them are young women, they get discouraged by their families and they cannot afford the care, and its care is surgical care that requires competency and facility that knows how to take care of them, but it costs money.




https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/why-fg-is-funding-free-cesarean-sections-emergency-maternal-care-health-minister/