The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has recorded a milestone in maternal and child health with the successful delivery of its first set of quadruplets under the Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC) programme.
The babies, two boys and two girls, were delivered via caesarean section at the Federal University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital, Azare, Bauchi State.
The 35-year-old mother, Hauwa Usman, had initially been diagnosed with triplets and malpresentation of the fetus but eventually gave birth to quadruplets.
NHIA’s Director General, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, in a congratulatory message delivered by Bauchi State Coordinator, Mustapha Mohammed, hailed the hospital management and staff for their expertise and commended the safe delivery.
He also congratulated the family, emphasising that the timely transfer of the mother from Gambaki village, 35 kilometres away, to the tertiary facility helped save her life and the babies, while shielding the family from catastrophic medical costs.
Dr Ohiri urged families, especially those facing financial challenges, to take advantage of CEmONC and other NHIA interventions available nationwide, stressing that such programmes are lifesaving and fully covered for beneficiaries.
He reiterated the Authority’s commitment to advancing maternal and child health as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative championed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate.
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Speaking on behalf of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr Dauda Katagum, the Head of Clinical Services, Dr Sani Abdullahi Giade, appreciated NHIA for the intervention, noting that over 422 pregnant women had benefited from the programme at the facility.
He highlighted that the quadruplets marked the first of their kind under the scheme since its commencement at the hospital.
Similarly, the Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dr Achanpa Sunday, explained that the patient was initially prepared for triplets but intraoperatively delivered quadruplets, a development that underscored the importance of emergency obstetric services.
While appealing for community and government support to ensure the well-being of the mother and babies, Dr Sunday expressed optimism that the intervention would continue to save lives in rural and underserved areas.
Father of the quadruplets, Abubakar Adamu, a peasant farmer, expressed joy over the blessing of the children but appealed for financial assistance to sustain the family.
The CEmONC programme, designed to tackle the leading causes of maternal mortality and protect families from financial hardship, continues to provide free treatment for women and newborns across designated health facilities in Nigeria.