According to a report by Punch on Monday, September 28, 2026, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has urged authorities to improve the welfare and working environment of medical professionals as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and reduce maternal deaths across Nigeria.
The Kogi Central lawmaker made the appeal on Monday at the ongoing Unfinished event organised by Ward-C in partnership with the National Human Rights Commission.
The gathering focused on issues surrounding maternal healthcare, women’s rights and reproductive decisions.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said the challenges facing the country’s health sector could not be addressed by relying solely on statistics, stressing the importance of examining the realities faced by patients and medical workers at healthcare facilities.
She identified doctors, nurses, midwives and other health professionals as critical components of an effective healthcare system.
According to her, better salaries, suitable workplaces, functioning equipment, essential medicines, dependable electricity and opportunities for career development were necessary to enable medical workers to perform effectively.
The senator particularly highlighted the difficulties experienced by healthcare personnel in rural and underserved communities.
She said improving their conditions could encourage more professionals to remain in such locations despite the challenges associated with working there.
She also drew attention to the difficulties surrounding maternal and neonatal care in rural areas, where some facilities may lack adequate personnel, emergency services and equipment for complicated pregnancies and premature births.
Akpoti-Uduaghan noted that supplying medical equipment would not be sufficient if healthcare facilities lacked trained workers or reliable electricity to operate the equipment.
She therefore called for better coordination between primary healthcare centres and general or specialist hospitals to facilitate timely referrals.
The lawmaker also identified functional laboratories, blood supplies, neonatal care facilities, emergency transportation, water and stable power as important requirements for effective healthcare delivery.
She raised concerns about the accuracy of maternal mortality records in rural communities, suggesting that some deaths may not be captured in official figures.
Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed that her concerns about maternal healthcare had contributed to her decision to establish a maternity centre.
She further urged stakeholders to continue discussions on maternal health, women’s rights and reproductive healthcare while increasing investment in both medical facilities and the professionals who operate them.
COURTESY: PoliticsAffairs
