NPHCDA records 45 million quarterly PHC visits, links 773,000 pregnant women to care

Linking a pregnant woman to primary healthcare under MAMII means creating a supported pathway from pregnancy through delivery and the mother’s and baby’s immediate postnatal care. It matters because the programme is designed to address maternal and newborn deaths by helping women reach appropriate services at the right time.

The programme connects women with caseworkers. It ensures necessary investigations are conducted and links high-risk pregnancies to suitable care facilities. This end-to-end approach helps identify needs during pregnancy and directs women to skilled care when risks require closer attention.

NPHCDA tracked these links in 172 local government areas across 33 states. By January to August 2026, 773,000 pregnant women had been linked to care, while more than 200,000 deliveries were attended by skilled birth attendants. The agency is also strengthening emergency transport and essential commodities.

Primary healthcare facilities are now recording between 43 million and 45 million service contacts each quarter, according to NPHCDA chief executive Muyi Aina. These contacts represent visits or interactions across different service areas. The increase matters because it signals greater use of frontline healthcare services nationwide.

When the reform journey began, quarterly attendance was about 33 million or 34 million contacts. The figure later peaked at 46 million in 2025. Aina said numbers continue to rise across antenatal care, immunisation and other service lines, although quarterly totals fluctuate within the current range.

NPHCDA attributes the growth to reforms aimed at improving access to trusted, quality primary healthcare. The agency views rising utilisation as a positive response from Nigerians. Continued increases could show that more people are using government-supported facilities for essential services, though the briefing provided attendance figures rather than health outcomes.

NPHCDA reported that 773,000 pregnant women had been linked to primary healthcare under its maternal and newborn interventions. The figure shows the programme’s large reach across the areas where it was being tracked. It also reflects an effort to connect women with care before delivery, not only when emergencies occur.

From January through August 2026, more than 200,000 deliveries were attended by skilled birth attendants. MAMII supports this pathway by assigning caseworkers, ensuring necessary investigations and directing high-risk pregnancies to appropriate facilities. The agency said the delivery figure was 17 per cent higher than during the same period in 2025.

NPHCDA described the increase as significant progress. The numbers do not by themselves establish how many deaths were prevented, but they show expanding contact with organised maternal care. The agency is also strengthening family planning, maternal services, essential commodities and emergency transport for urgent cases.

The MAMII programme tracked pregnant women linked to primary healthcare centres in 172 local government areas across 33 states. This gives the programme a defined geographic reach while NPHCDA measures how many women enter the care pathway. The tracking focuses on connections to facilities and related maternal services.

The organisation responsible for the reforms is the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, or NPHCDA. Its executive director and chief executive officer, Muyi Aina, presented the figures at the agency’s quarterly media briefing in Abuja. He said the reforms aim to improve access to trusted, quality primary healthcare nationwide.

NPHCDA is also overseeing interventions under MAMII and coordinating related efforts. These include stronger maternal services, family planning, essential commodities and collaboration with the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System. The reported geographic coverage shows broad implementation, while the agency continues tracking service use and maternal-care connections.

Connecting pregnant women to caseworkers and primary healthcare can make care more organised and timely. Caseworkers help women stay connected to services, while investigations can identify concerns that need attention. Linking high-risk pregnancies to suitable facilities can place women closer to the level of care they require.

Skilled birth attendants provide trained support during delivery. Emergency transport can then move a woman quickly when urgent care is needed, reducing delays in reaching a facility. The article describes collaboration with the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System for this purpose. MAMII also includes immediate postnatal care for mothers and babies.

These measures are intended to reduce maternal and newborn deaths, which NPHCDA identifies as a major priority. The article reports expanding links and skilled attendance, but does not provide a measured reduction in deaths. Their likely value is in connecting women to investigations, trained delivery care and emergency services before risks become fatal.

Primary healthcare is the first level of organised health services, usually delivered through local facilities and community-based care. It focuses on accessible, routine services rather than relying only on hospitals. The article highlights it as the platform for antenatal care, immunisation, family planning and other service lines.

Its value is proximity and continuity. A nearby primary healthcare centre can provide repeated antenatal contacts, routine immunisation and family-planning support. Under MAMII, it can also connect pregnant women with caseworkers, investigations and referral facilities. These functions help people enter care earlier and remain connected to services.

NPHCDA reported 43 million to 45 million quarterly service contacts, up from about 33 million or 34 million. Aina said attendance is rising across antenatal care, immunisation and other services. The article presents this increased use as a positive response to reforms strengthening access to trusted, quality primary healthcare nationwide.

Antenatal care is important because it gives health workers repeated opportunities to monitor a pregnancy, conduct necessary investigations and identify concerns. Skilled birth attendance matters because trained providers can support delivery and recognise when a mother or baby needs additional care. These points are especially important for preventing avoidable complications.

The article links these services through MAMII. Caseworkers connect pregnant women to care, investigations are conducted, and high-risk pregnancies are referred to appropriate facilities. The programme also covers delivery and immediate postnatal care. Emergency transport adds another link when a pregnant woman needs urgent attention.

NPHCDA reported that antenatal attendance is increasing alongside other service lines. It also reported more than 200,000 deliveries attended by skilled birth attendants between January and August 2026, a 17 per cent increase from the same period in 2025. The article presents these measures as part of efforts to reduce maternal and newborn deaths, although it gives no mortality outcome.