Babies at Night, Clinics Closed: Kano's Deadly Gap in Maternal Care

A dangerous lack of 24-hour health services is putting mothers and newborns at risk in Kano, Nigeria. When a pregnant woman goes into labor at night in Kano Municipal, her local Primary Health Centre (PHC) is often closed. With no access to basic emergency care, she must then travel long distances in pain to find a facility that is open. This delay can be life-threatening for both the mother and her unborn child. Now, community leaders are demanding change. A recent town hall meeting in Kano concluded with a direct call to authorities: make all local PHCs operate 24 hours a day. Primary Health Centres are the first point of care for most communities. Their consistent closure at night creates a critical gap in Nigeria's healthcare system, especially for time-sensitive emergencies like childbirth. The community's appeal highlights a simple, urgent need: to ensure basic health services are available whenever labor begins.