Unsafe abortions contribute 13% to maternal deaths in Lagos, prompting SOGON’s call for policy clarity and safer services to tackle the high Maternal Mortality Lagos rate
Unsafe termination of pregnancy contributes significantly to the high rates of Maternal Mortality Lagos, accounting for up to 13% of all maternal deaths in the state.
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This alarming statistic was revealed by the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), Lagos Sector, during an advocacy visit to the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, on Wednesday.
The SOGON delegation, led by former National President, Professor Rotimi Akinola, and Lagos Sector Chairman, Professor Abidoye Gbadegesin, highlighted persistent challenges in maternal and neonatal mortality and called for urgent policy reforms and expanded professional involvement to address these critical public health issues.
Professor Akinola clarified that SOGON is not advocating for indiscriminate abortion. Instead, he emphasised the crucial need for medically indicated and safely performed terminations to be accessible under clear, practical guidelines.
“Unsafe abortion contributes up to 13% of maternal deaths in Lagos,” he stated. “We seek policy clarity to reduce preventable fatalities—this is not a moral debate but a public health imperative.”
Professor Abayomi, welcoming SOGON’s comprehensive proposals, reiterated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s unwavering commitment to achieving a zero-tolerance stance on preventable maternal and neonatal deaths. “It is unacceptable for any mother to die from avoidable causes,” he asserted.
Drawing insights from successful public health strategies in Southeast Asia, the Commissioner underscored that investing in family health and maternal welfare is a critical infrastructure for Lagos’s future.
“Every loss is a failure. We must deploy all mechanisms—regulation, education, and community-level interventions—to reverse these statistics,” he stressed.
He described childbirth as one of life’s most extreme transitions and affirmed the State’s dedication to making this journey safer for both mother and child.
Among the policy measures currently under consideration are the discreet, policy-aligned provision of safe termination services and the redesign and expansion of Maternal and Childcare Centres across Lagos.
The Commissioner also welcomed SOGON’s data-driven recommendations to scale up Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OB-GYN) residency programmes in general hospitals.
He specifically urged the Society to provide detailed information on the World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended doctor-to-population ratio, current residency capacity, and the requirements for establishing new programmes.
“To make obstetrics and gynaecology more appealing to young doctors, mentorship and hands-on exposure during training are essential,” Professor Abayomi advised.
He further called for stronger integration of professional bodies in policy design, particularly in decentralising obstetric care to underserved areas within the state.