In Lagos, too many women still die while giving life. Unsafe abortions, a shortage of skilled birth attendants, and gaps in reproductive health policy are combining to create a silent crisis.
But a recent alliance between the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) may offer a much-needed lifeline.
EDITOR’S PICKS
At a high-level advocacy meeting in Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday, SOGON executives led by former National President Prof. Rotimi Akinola and Lagos Sector Chairman Prof. Abidoye Gbadegesin presented proposals to Health Commissioner Prof. Akin Abayomi aimed at tackling the root causes of maternal and neonatal deaths, starting with the issue many avoid: unsafe abortion.
Speaking on the hidden epidemic of unsafe abortions, Prof. Akinola didn’t mince words, noting that they account for up to 13% of maternal deaths in Lagos.
“Unsafe abortion accounts for up to 13% of maternal deaths in Lagos,” he revealed. “These are preventable tragedies, and we must stop treating this as a moral debate rather than a public health emergency.”

The World Health Organization ranks unsafe abortion as one of the top causes of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.
In Lagos, many women, especially young girls, resort to unqualified providers or dangerous self-administered methods when access to safe, medically supervised options is unavailable or stigmatized.
“We are not asking for abortion on demand,” Akinola clarified. “We’re asking for practical, medically necessary interventions guided by national protocols—to save lives, not start controversies.”
Commissioner Abayomi acknowledged the delicate nature of the topic but agreed that silence was no longer an option.
“We must quietly and thoughtfully put systems in place that prevent needless deaths,” he said, supporting policy-aligned, discreet solutions to reproductive health challenges.
Skilled Care and Surveillance Gaps Fuel the Crisis
Beyond abortion-related deaths, many maternal fatalities in Lagos stem from poor access to skilled obstetric care. Too many women still rely on undertrained birth attendants, with little or no emergency backup.
“Anything less than skilled care is a ticking time bomb,” Prof. Gbadegesin warned. “FIGO and WHO insist that only trained personnel should attend births.”

To fill the gap, SOGON is advocating the revival of the Volunteer Obstetrician Service Scheme (VOSS), a model where senior specialists mentor grassroots health workers and help detect high-risk pregnancies early. The commissioner welcomed the proposal, noting that it aligns with the state’s commitment to decentralising obstetric care and expanding Maternal and Child Care Centres.
SOGON also pushed for legislative backing of the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) programme, which has operated informally within the Ministry for over a decade. A draft bill is ready, and the society wants it passed into law to ensure long-term accountability.
“We’ve operated this desk within the Ministry on goodwill for over a decade,” he appealed. “We now urge the Commissioner to lend his influence towards legislating the MPDSR system. The draft document is ready.”
FURTHER READING
The meeting ended with an agreement to convene a wider stakeholder summit to turn the proposals into action. With over 350 obstetricians and gynaecologists in its Lagos network, SOGON says it stands ready to lend its expertise, not just in theory, but in the trenches.
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