Progress on reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria requires cooperation

Referencing the phrase "impatient optimists," coined by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Aminu Magashi, an adviser for the USAID-funded Targeted States High Impact Project, writes in Nigeria's Daily Trust, "Although in many developing countries, the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 of improving maternal health by 2015 will not be achieved, we should all be optimistic and impatient to continue doing what we can to reduce the burden of maternal death which will positively reduce the burden of newborn and child mortality." He continues, "The recent successful Global Maternal Health Conference 2013: Improving Quality of Care in Arusha, Tanzania ... created a momentum for change, inspiring a movement," and "helped to move the agenda forward towards a common platform for maternal health."

Magashi summarizes some of the presentations from the conference, as well as the recommendations in a maternal health "manifesto" presented by Lancet editor Richard Horton. "With all the steps being taken at the global community [level] to work together between donors, researchers, academia, government, civil societies and media, if one looks at how fragmented our work is in Nigeria among the above mentioned stakeholders, it leaves much to be desired," he continues. "It is time to begin to talk to each other, widen the space of dialogue and develop an annual mechanism of engagement to curve the burden of maternal and child mortalities," Magashi concludes (2/19).