Initiative targets gaps in maternal health awareness, access, and service utilisation across Nigeria.

In a renewed push to curb maternal mortality, the Presidency has rolled out a nationwide advocacy campaign aimed at bridging critical gaps between healthcare services and the women who need them most.

Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja on Wednesday, Dr Adanna Steinacker, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Women’s Health, formally launched the ‘RenewHER Save Our Mothers’ campaign. She also announced the appointment of state ambassadors tasked with driving grassroots advocacy across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Steinacker noted that while Nigeria has multiple maternal health programmes in place, persistent challenges remain in awareness, trust, and the utilisation of available services. According to her, many maternal deaths occur not due to a lack of services, but because women are unable to access or effectively use them.

“The focus must now shift to closing the last-mile gap where services exist but are underutilised,” she said.

She explained that the campaign operates as the advocacy and health literacy arm of the RenewHER platform, designed to connect women more effectively to existing healthcare systems. The initiative will be implemented in collaboration with the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) and the Department of Family Health under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

Describing the newly inaugurated ambassadors as a structured mobilisation network, Steinacker emphasised that their role goes beyond symbolism, positioning them as key drivers of measurable outcomes in maternal health advocacy and service uptake nationwide.

Also speaking, Dr Samuel Oyeniyi of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare described the initiative as a significant step toward improving maternal health indices. He called on stakeholders across government, development agencies, civil society, and the private sector to support its implementation.

Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat at the FCT Administration, said the campaign aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen primary healthcare delivery, particularly in expanding access to skilled birth attendants and enhancing community awareness.

Similarly, Mrs Uju-Rochas Anwukah, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and Nutrition, noted that the initiative complements broader efforts to improve nutrition and health outcomes nationwide under the administration of Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

She added that the campaign is expected to boost coordination, strengthen financing, and improve data-driven decision-making, while keeping maternal and child health at the forefront of Nigeria’s development agenda.