The Government of Nigeria recognizes the enormous impact of the achievement of the healthrelated millennium development goals (MDGs) on the overall success of all of the MDGs in Nigeria. For this reason, I am particularly delighted that Nigeria’s MDGs Acceleration Framework and Action  Plan for Maternal Health (MDG 5) has been meticulously prepared in order to be implemented and  meet the MDGs by 2015 or shortly thereafter. It is worth reiterating that no woman should die  from preventable causes while giving birth. This is the raison d’être for the Saving One Million Lives Initiative that this Administration has been vigorously promoting. Over the years, the issue of improving maternal health has been of particular interest to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in his former role of Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOW AS) and as current Co-chairman of the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children. He successfully mobilized other African Heads of State and Government to give a fresh impetus to the Campaign for the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA). This is one area where we cannot afford to fail if we want to ensure human development and greater wellbeing.

Consequently, the Government is doing everything possible to steadily build on the progress achieved in our country in maternal mortality reduction. To this end, we have continued to pursue a multifaceted approach by improving health facilities, public sanitation, education and communication. There is still need for greater commitment to increasing access to essential lifesaving commodities designed to save millions of lives of our women. I therefore call on all relevant health professionals to prioritize ongoing efforts in saving the lives of all pregnant women, a task that must be transmitted to future generations.