By Muhammad Amaan
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Danish Non-Governmental Organisation, Maternity Foundation, have launched a new initiative aimed at supporting 10 million safe births across Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2030.
This is disclosed in a joint statement released on Thursday in Abuja and made available to newsmen.
The 10 Million Safer Births Initiative was officially unveiled in Abuja by Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark and UNFPA.
While announcing her patronage of the initiative, Queen Mary, visiting Nigeria as a UNFPA Patron, stated that no woman should risk her life to give life.
“I am honoured to announce my patronage of this very concrete initiative, which aims to ensure 10 million safer births by end of 2030 across Sub-Saharan Africa,” she said.
According to the statement, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70 per cent of all maternal deaths globally.
“In spite of a 40 per cent drop in the global maternal mortality rate since 2000, progress has slowed, and multiple global crises now threaten to reverse those gains.
“Every two minutes, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes, and for every woman who dies, 20 to 30 suffer acute or severe disability, most of which are preventable.”
The first phase of the initiative will focus on Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, delivering targeted support to midwives and frontline health workers to improve maternal and newborn care.
Support will include scaling up Maternity Foundation’s Safe Delivery+ programme, including the free Safe Delivery App, which offers evidence-based clinical guidelines and video demonstrations on mobile devices.
This tool helps healthcare professionals, particularly midwives in low-resource settings, to manage life-threatening situations more effectively and improve outcomes for mothers and babies.
The initiative is supported by the Government of Denmark, which is investing 4.9 million dollars, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is contributing an additional 1.5 million dollars through its Midwifery Accelerator initiative.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen described the effort as bold and innovative.
“Every woman has the right to give birth safely, and we are committed to making that a reality,” he said.
Africa Director at the Gates Foundation, Dr Paulin Basinga, emphasised that healthy mothers and babies were the foundation of vibrant communities.
“The 10 Million Safer Births initiative is about more than saving lives, it’s about equality.
“Too many women in Africa face life-threatening risks in childbirth simply because of where they live,” he said.
UNFPA Executive Director Dr Natalia Kanem stressed the transformative potential of midwifery.
“Access to quality midwifery care can mean the difference between life and death for women and babies.
“This initiative will equip midwives to save lives in some of the world’s most challenging settings,” she said.
CEO of Maternity Foundation, Anna Frellsen, noted that reaching global maternal health targets by 2030 would require innovative strategies.
“We can’t close the gap in maternal mortality by doing things the same way.
“This initiative combines innovation, data, and cross-sector collaboration to improve maternal care where it’s most needed,” she said.
The 10 Million Safer Births Initiative is a flagship programme implemented through UNFPA’s Maternal and Newborn Health Fund.
The initiative is designed to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes by supporting countries in strengthening their health systems.
