Natasha has raised concerns over inadequate healthcare services in rural communities, warning that limited access to essential maternal and newborn care is putting mothers and babies at risk.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has warned that poor healthcare infrastructure and inadequate medical personnel in rural communities are putting mothers and newborns at risk, urging stronger investment in healthcare workers, equipment and emergency services.

Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke at the ongoing “Unfinished” event organised by Ward-C in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), where she participated in discussions on maternal health, women’s rights and reproductive choices.

She said tackling maternal mortality required more than relying on statistics, stressing the need to address the realities confronting women and healthcare professionals at the point of service.

The senator called for improved working conditions, remuneration and welfare packages for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals, particularly those serving in underserved communities.

According to her, healthcare workers must have access to adequate remuneration, functional medical equipment, essential medicines, reliable electricity, conducive working environments and opportunities for professional development.

The lawmakers said healthcare infrastructure could not function effectively without the human capital required to operate and sustain it.

Akpoti-Uduaghan said maternal mortality remained a major concern in rural communities, where access to quality healthcare and emergency services was often limited.

She questioned whether some rural health facilities had the personnel and equipment required to manage complicated pregnancies and neonatal emergencies.

“When you want to tackle maternal mortality, either speaking from the side of your choice, or a woman who is married, has carried on her baby full term, walks into a hospital, a baby who was born premature and needs access to incubators, oxygen in villages.”

She raised concerns about the sustainability of medical equipment in communities with unreliable electricity supply.

“Are there electricity? Is there enough electricity in the rural areas to sustain the incubators wherever they are?”

The senator stressed that the challenge went beyond providing equipment, noting that facilities must also have qualified personnel capable of operating the equipment and providing appropriate care.

She advocated stronger referral systems linking rural primary healthcare centres with general and specialist hospitals, particularly for women experiencing complicated pregnancies and other emergencies.

According to her, an effective healthcare ecosystem should include functional laboratories, adequate blood supplies, neonatal facilities, emergency transportation as well as reliable power and water supply.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also questioned whether existing maternal mortality data adequately reflected the experiences of women in rural communities.

“I don’t think that data is really reflective of the situation in the rural communities. It will probably double up,” she said.

She noted that repeated exposure to maternal deaths in some rural communities could make such tragedies appear normal, while some deaths might not be formally captured in official records.

The senator disclosed that her concerns about maternal healthcare in underserved communities had influenced her decision to build a maternity centre, stressing the need for practical interventions alongside policy discussions.

said her exposure to different healthcare systems and advocacy initiatives had broadened her understanding of the circumstances confronting some women and girls.

She called for support systems that would provide women facing difficult pregnancy-related circumstances with access to information, counselling and appropriate assistance.

She said constructive dialogue had also challenged some of her previously held positions on reproductive choice.

“If I myself can be made to tilt from being pro-life to reasonably begin to appreciate the reason for choice, then I think I would say that I would love to support this kind of conversation.”

The senator maintained that the welfare and future of children should remain central to discussions around pregnancy and reproductive health.

She urged stakeholders to sustain constructive conversations on maternal healthcare, women’s rights and reproductive health, while calling for greater investment in healthcare infrastructure and the professionals responsible for operating the system.