Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called for improved remuneration, working conditions and welfare for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals, particularly those serving in rural communities.
The Kogi Central senator made the call on Monday at the ongoing “Unfinished” event organised by Ward-C in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where discussions focused on maternal health, women’s rights and reproductive choices.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria requires more than tracking statistics or building healthcare facilities, stressing that the people operating the health system must also be adequately supported.
She said healthcare workers need appropriate remuneration, functional equipment, essential medicines, reliable electricity, conducive working environments and opportunities for professional development.
According to her, healthcare infrastructure cannot function effectively without the human resources required to operate and maintain it.
The senator argued that healthcare personnel, infrastructure, emergency services, equipment, medicines, and staff welfare should be treated as interconnected parts of the same system.
Rural healthcare challenges
Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed particular concern about maternal healthcare in rural communities, where access to qualified personnel and emergency services can be limited.
She questioned whether rural health facilities have sufficient equipment and trained workers to handle complicated pregnancies and emergencies involving newborns.
She also raised concerns about the reliability of electricity needed to operate critical equipment such as incubators in rural facilities.
The senator called for stronger referral systems connecting primary healthcare centres with general and specialist hospitals so that women experiencing complicated pregnancies can be transferred quickly when necessary.
She identified functional laboratories, adequate blood supplies, neonatal facilities, emergency transportation, reliable electricity, and water as other important components of an effective healthcare system.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also questioned whether available maternal mortality figures fully capture the situation in rural communities, suggesting that some deaths may go unrecorded.
She said her concerns about maternal healthcare in underserved communities had influenced her decision to build a maternity centre, arguing that practical interventions should complement policy discussions.
Reproductive choices
The senator also addressed reproductive choices, saying her exposure to different healthcare systems and advocacy initiatives had changed how she viewed some of the difficult circumstances faced by women and girls.
She called for support systems that can provide information, counselling, and assistance to women dealing with difficult pregnancy-related decisions.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said constructive conversations had also caused her to reconsider some of her previous views on reproductive choice.
She further stressed that the welfare of children should remain central to discussions around pregnancy and reproductive health, arguing that children should be born into environments where they can receive love, care, and nurture.
She urged stakeholders to sustain discussions around maternal healthcare, women’s rights and reproductive health while improving the infrastructure and human resources needed to deliver healthcare, particularly in underserved communities.
credit: Sahara Reporters
