The Kogi State House of Assembly has taken a significant step toward improving maternal and child healthcare by advancing a bill that seeks to provide free healthcare services for pregnant women and newborns in all state-owned health facilities.
The proposed legislation, titled “A Bill for a Law to Provide for Free Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare Services for Pregnant Women and Newborn Children in State-Owned Health Facilities in Kogi State and Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2025,” passed second reading during plenary in Lokoja.
Leading debate on the bill, the sponsor and member representing Omala State Constituency, Hon. Umar Yahaya, described the measure as a lifesaving intervention aimed at eliminating financial barriers that prevent many women and newborns from accessing essential healthcare services.
Yahaya said the bill seeks to establish a robust legal and institutional framework for the delivery of free maternal and neonatal healthcare across the state. According to him, the framework would provide for implementation structures, funding mechanisms, regulatory oversight, accountability measures and enforcement provisions to ensure effective execution.
He explained that the proposed law would guarantee free antenatal care, skilled delivery services, including caesarean sections, emergency obstetric care, neonatal treatment, immunisation, essential medications, diagnostic services and comprehensive newborn care in government-owned health facilities.
The lawmaker stressed that the legislation is designed to promote safe motherhood and improve newborn survival by tackling preventable causes of maternal and infant deaths, including complications during childbirth, infections and birth-related emergencies.
Highlighting the urgency of the intervention, Yahaya pointed to Nigeria’s high maternal mortality burden, noting that the country contributes about 14 per cent of global maternal deaths. He added that less than half of all births nationwide are attended by skilled health professionals, exposing many women to avoidable risks during pregnancy and delivery.
He further lamented that out-of-pocket medical expenses remain a major obstacle to healthcare access, forcing many families to delay or entirely forgo treatment.
Drawing from experiences within Kogi State, the lawmaker recounted instances where pregnant women reportedly died after arriving at health facilities because they could not immediately meet payment requirements.
“These women did not die because there were no doctors. They did not die because there was no treatment. They died because there was no payment. This is our opportunity to intervene,” he told lawmakers during the debate.
While acknowledging ongoing state government initiatives, including the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative and the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week programme, Yahaya argued that a dedicated law was necessary to guarantee sustainability, consistency and accountability in service delivery.
He also expressed confidence that the financial implications of the bill would be manageable, citing existing support from international development partners, including the World Health Organization, which are already collaborating with governments across Nigeria to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
Describing the proposal as both a moral imperative and a public health necessity, the legislator urged his colleagues to support its passage, saying no woman or newborn should be denied life-saving medical care because of financial constraints.
The motion for the bill’s adoption was seconded by Hon. Lawal Akus, representing Ankpa I Constituency.
Contributing to the debate, Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Comfort Ojoma Egwaba, called for stronger collaboration among key stakeholders in the health sector to ensure the legislation provides a comprehensive and effective framework capable of delivering sustainable improvements in maternal and neonatal healthcare across the state.
The bill was subsequently referred to the relevant committee for further legislative scrutiny.