Nigeria: Why Expanding MPDSR Across Nigerian States Is Key to Ending Preventable Maternal Deaths

What the report says

Nigeria Health Watch, in a blog republished by AllAfrica, argues that expanding Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) across Nigerian states is essential to reducing preventable maternal deaths. The piece cites World Health Organization estimates placing Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio at 993 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 and says reviews in six states found postpartum haemorrhage and prolonged obstructed labour among the leading causes. It frames MPDSR as a system for reviewing each death, identifying root causes and turning findings into corrective action.

The article says progress is uneven across the country because a proposed MPDSR enforcement bill has not yet become law. It points to discussions at the 2025 Gender and Inclusion Summit, where advocates called for a nationally coordinated and legally backed framework. In Kano State, facility-level committees and quarterly state reviews have been used to analyse deaths and develop local solutions, though the story says community-level surveillance remains limited and is being piloted in one local area.

Lagos State is presented as another example of broader implementation, with MPDSR committees at multiple levels, dedicated surveillance officers and efforts to capture deaths outside formal facilities through verbal and social autopsy systems. The article says supporters want similar legal backing nationwide so reporting, budgeting and accountability are not left to local discretion. It adds that other African countries, including Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, have used MPDSR-related systems to strengthen learning and reduce avoidable deaths.