Morganable News / Communities
Lagos Community Gets 24-Hour Maternity Care as Akinogun Primary Healthcare Centre Opens Upgraded Services
Lagos —
Residents of Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area in Lagos State have gained improved access to maternal healthcare following the renovation and equipping of Akinogun Primary Healthcare Centre. The intervention, supported by HACEY and the Ford Foundation, introduces round-the-clock maternity services designed to help pregnant women receive care closer to home.
Pregnant women in parts of Lagos State can now access round-the-clock maternity services following the upgrade of Akinogun Primary Healthcare Centre in Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area.
The intervention addresses a major community healthcare concern: the difficulty some women face when seeking professional assistance during pregnancy and childbirth. Previously, the facility did not provide delivery services or operate around the clock. Consequently, some residents had to travel several kilometres to reach hospitals that could attend to their needs.
However, a partnership between HACEY and the Ford Foundation has changed the facility’s capacity to serve the community. The renovated centre now provides 24-hour maternity services, alongside routine immunisation, outpatient care and essential family planning services.
The development was reported on October 13, 2026, following the completion and handover of the upgraded facility to local health authorities and its management.
Improved Access to Maternal Healthcare
For pregnant women, access to healthcare involves more than attending antenatal appointments. It also requires the availability of trained health workers, essential equipment and facilities that can respond when labour begins unexpectedly.
Therefore, the availability of maternity services within the community could reduce the challenges associated with travelling long distances during emergencies. It may also help families avoid delays while searching for a facility that can provide delivery services.
According to information released about the project, the intervention aims to improve access to safer childbirth, particularly for women who previously depended on more distant hospitals.
HACEY Executive Director Rhoda Robinson said the project seeks to prevent women from facing avoidable risks because of inadequate healthcare access. She emphasised the importance of ensuring that women receive appropriate care when and where they need it.
The Ford Foundation also supported the intervention as part of efforts to prevent avoidable maternal deaths and strengthen access to essential health services.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Health District 1 Permanent Secretary, Dr Sola Pitan, welcomed the development. He explained that having maternity services within the community would ease the burden on pregnant women who previously travelled several kilometres to obtain obstetric care.
These benefits could be particularly important for women who experience labour at night or require urgent medical attention.
New Equipment Strengthens the Facility
Beyond renovating the building, the project supplied equipment needed to support maternity services and newborn care.
The centre received delivery beds, obstetric tables, foetal Dopplers, blood pressure monitors, sterile delivery packs and autoclaves. Other equipment includes suction machines, oxygen concentrators and neonatal resuscitation equipment.
These resources can support healthcare workers as they monitor pregnant women, assist deliveries and respond to certain complications involving mothers and newborns.
In addition, the facility received a 10-kilowatt-hour solar power system to support operations. Reliable electricity is important in healthcare settings because staff may need lighting, functioning equipment and other essential services throughout the day and night.
The maternity ward has also been equipped to support childbirth and newborn care. However, the long-term benefits will depend on the availability of trained personnel, proper equipment maintenance and consistent access to essential medical supplies.
To strengthen service delivery, frontline health workers received training on the proper use and maintenance of the supplied equipment.
This training is important because providing equipment alone does not guarantee better healthcare. Staff must understand how to operate the machines safely, recognise warning signs and refer patients when a condition exceeds the facility’s capacity.
Support for Pregnant Women
The intervention also includes the distribution of 2,000 safe birthing kits through antenatal services.
The kits contain essential clean-delivery supplies, including sterile gloves, antiseptic solution, cord clamps, gauze, sanitary pads, delivery mats and clean blades.
These items are intended to support safer childbirth practices. In addition, pregnant women attending antenatal sessions received maternal health education.
Health education can help expectant mothers recognise warning signs during pregnancy, understand the importance of antenatal visits and prepare for delivery. It can also encourage families to seek professional assistance rather than rely solely on home remedies or untrained attendants.
Nevertheless, safe delivery requires more than supplies. Women experiencing severe bleeding, high blood pressure, prolonged labour or other complications may need urgent treatment at a hospital with more advanced facilities.
For this reason, clear referral arrangements remain essential. Healthcare workers must be able to identify complications early and help patients reach the appropriate level of care without unnecessary delays.
The project also includes an equipment maintenance and tracking system intended to help facility personnel manage the resources provided.
A Wider Maternal Health Challenge
The upgrade comes amid continuing concerns about maternal deaths in Nigeria. Information cited in the report on the intervention estimated that Nigeria accounts for 28.3 per cent of maternal deaths worldwide, representing approximately 8,200 deaths.
This figure highlights the importance of improving access to quality maternal healthcare. However, lasting progress requires coordinated action involving governments, healthcare providers, development organisations and communities.
For example, health authorities need to ensure that facilities have enough qualified workers and that pregnant women can obtain timely referrals when complications arise. Communities also need reliable information about available services and when to seek emergency assistance.
Furthermore, women should not avoid healthcare because they fear the cost of treatment, lack transportation or do not know where to obtain help.
The Akinogun intervention demonstrates how partnerships can contribute to addressing gaps in community healthcare. Still, its impact will depend on whether the upgraded services remain available and accessible to the women who need them.
Community Participation Remains Important
The facility was formally handed over at a ceremony attended by representatives of HACEY, the Ford Foundation, Lagos State Health District 1, Mosan-Okunola LCDA, healthcare workers and community stakeholders.
The chairman of Mosan-Okunola LCDA, Opeyemi Akindele, described the centre as an important addition to healthcare delivery in the area.
Community members also have a role to play in sustaining the intervention. Pregnant women can attend antenatal appointments, ask questions about available services and follow professional medical advice. Families can support expectant mothers by helping them prepare for delivery and seek care promptly when warning signs appear.
At the same time, residents should be able to report service gaps, equipment failures or difficulties accessing care to the relevant health authorities.
As the upgraded centre begins serving more residents, consistent monitoring will be important. Authorities and project partners need to assess whether the facility has sufficient staff, maintains its equipment and provides reliable services at all hours.
Ultimately, the success of the intervention will depend on more than the completion of renovation work. It will be measured by whether pregnant women can obtain timely, safe and appropriate care without facing unnecessary barriers.
For families in Mosan-Okunola, the availability of 24-hour maternity services represents an important step towards bringing essential healthcare closer to home.
