The Kogi Central lawmaker says improved remuneration, working conditions and professional support are essential to retaining healthcare workers and strengthening medical services, particularly in rural communities.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called for improved remuneration, welfare and working conditions for doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system and address maternal mortality.
Akpoti-Uduaghan made the call on Monday while speaking at the “Unfinished” event organised by Ward-C in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja, where discussions focused on maternal health, women’s rights and reproductive choices.
The senator, who represents Kogi Central, said improving healthcare delivery requires more than building hospitals and providing medical equipment. She stressed that trained and motivated healthcare professionals are equally essential to ensuring that facilities function effectively.
According to her, doctors and other health workers should have access to adequate remuneration, functional medical equipment, essential medicines, reliable electricity, conducive working environments and opportunities for professional development.
She argued that better conditions of service could help encourage healthcare professionals to remain in the country and serve in underserved communities, particularly rural areas where medical workers often operate under difficult conditions.
“Healthcare infrastructure could not function effectively without the human capital required to operate and sustain it,” the senator said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also linked the welfare of healthcare workers to the country’s maternal mortality challenge, particularly in rural communities where access to emergency medical care can be limited.
She questioned whether some rural healthcare facilities have adequate personnel and equipment to manage complicated pregnancies and neonatal emergencies.
The lawmaker pointed to the need for functional incubators, oxygen, laboratories, blood supplies, emergency transportation, electricity and water, while stressing that equipment alone would not solve the problem without qualified personnel to operate and maintain it.
She also raised concerns about the reliability of electricity in rural communities, particularly where medical facilities depend on power to operate life-saving equipment.
“Is there enough electricity in the rural areas to sustain the incubators wherever they are?” she asked.
The senator advocated stronger referral systems connecting rural primary healthcare centres with general and specialist hospitals so that women experiencing complicated pregnancies can be transferred quickly when specialised care is required.
She further questioned whether available maternal mortality statistics fully capture the situation in rural communities, suggesting that some deaths may go unreported or undocumented.
Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed that her concerns about maternal healthcare in underserved communities had influenced her decision to build a maternity centre, saying practical interventions should complement policy discussions.
She also called for continued conversations around reproductive health and support systems for women and girls facing difficult pregnancy-related circumstances.
The senator maintained that improving Nigeria’s healthcare system requires a holistic approach that addresses both infrastructure and the welfare of the professionals responsible for delivering care.
Her comments come amid wider concerns over healthcare worker retention in Nigeria, with medical professionals and their associations continuing to raise issues around remuneration, working conditions, training and other welfare matters.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said sustained investment in healthcare personnel, infrastructure and support services would be necessary to improve access to quality medical care, particularly for women and children in underserved communities.
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