The United Nations says thanks improved access to affordable, quality health services, the number of pregnant women or new mothers and young children who die each year has reduced.
In a statement on Thursday, Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization said “In countries that provide everyone with safe, affordable, high-quality health services, women and babies survive and thrive.”
Since the turn of the century, the number of deaths among children under the age of five has been cut almost in half to some 5.3 million worldwide last year.

WHEN Mildred Haruna (not real name) was raped during an armed robbery incident in her Lagos environ in 2005, she never imagined that events of that fateful night would haunt her for the rest of her life.
 
Soon after the traumatising incident, Mildred discovered that she was pregnant. Her grief further increased because even if she decided to keep the pregnancy, her mega salary could not sustain the baby. Also, the baby some day may be referred to as a bastard since he did not have a father.
 

A medical researcher, Dr Bamidele Iwalokun, on Tuesday advised expectant mothers to always seek appropriate healthcare services during pregnancy to reduce maternal deaths in Nigeria.
 

Disability Journey Initiative, an NGO, has urged government, NGOs and stakeholders to train persons living with disabilities on their reproductive health needs to enable them to live productive lives.
 
The founder of the organisation, Mr Greg Simon, made the call in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday, in Abuja.
 
Simon said most people living with disabilities were ignorant of their reproductive health rights and needed to be educated, depending on the peculiarity of their disability.