Lagos Boosts PHCs to Tackle Maternal and Infant Mortality

The Lagos State Government has intensified its investment in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state, rolling out critical medical supplies and reinforcing frontline healthcare services.

The intervention, which cuts across key local government areas such as Ibeju-Lekki, Eti-Osa, and Epe, is designed to strengthen emergency response during childbirth and improve survival rates for mothers and newborns at the community level.

Officials say the initiative reflects the state’s broader health agenda to reposition PHCs as the first point of contact in the healthcare system, thereby easing the burden on secondary and tertiary hospitals while improving access to timely care in underserved communities.

Among the supplies distributed are essential maternal health drugs, including oxytocin and misoprostol, widely used to prevent and manage postpartum haemorrhage, a leading cause of maternal deaths globally.

To further safeguard infant health, the state also provided neonatal care items such as chlorhexidine gel for umbilical cord treatment, zinc supplements, and oral rehydration salts, all aimed at reducing newborn infections and deaths linked to diarrhoeal diseases.

Supporting the clinical push, medical consumables like gloves, syringes, and complete delivery kits were also deployed to enhance hygiene standards and ensure safer delivery procedures across PHCs.

Health authorities emphasised that the programme goes beyond supply distribution, stressing the importance of accountability and proper inventory management. Healthcare workers, including midwives and pharmacists, were directed to ensure transparent usage and prompt availability of the commodities for patients.

The government reiterated its commitment to achieving universal health coverage and reducing preventable deaths through stronger primary healthcare systems, noting that equitable access to essential medical resources remains central to its strategy.

Public health experts have welcomed the initiative, linking it to ongoing reforms aimed at improving referral systems, strengthening workforce capacity, and ensuring quicker response to obstetric emergencies.

With this renewed push, Lagos State is further reinforcing PHCs as a critical frontline defence in its long-term battle against maternal and infant mortality.