Doctors undergo training to reduce maternal, newborn deaths
Stakeholders met in Abuja on Friday to evaluate and reflect on a specialized training programme designed to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in the Federal Capital Territory and beyond. The training, which was championed by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, was completed […]
Stakeholders met in Abuja on Friday to evaluate and reflect on a specialized training programme designed to reduce maternal and newborn deaths in the Federal Capital Territory and beyond.
The training, which was championed by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, and the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, was completed by at least 266 doctors.
The high-level dissemination meeting was convened to mark the successful completion of the program’s costed extension phase.
The event brought together key partners, including LSTM, WBFA, NPMCN, Ducit Blue Solutions, the Federal Ministry of Health, and stakeholders from Nigeria’s health system.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, founder and president of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and former First Lady of Kwara state, emphasized the program’s role in tackling Nigeria’s maternal health crisis.
“We stand at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s maternal and neonatal health journey. By building a cadre of well-trained obstetric clinicians and integrating life-saving skills into the national curriculum, we are addressing one of the critical delays in care: the shortage of skilled healthcare professionals at delivery.
‘’When we saw the impact of this training in Kwara State, which reduced mortality and birth injuries, it became our dream to scale it nationally. Today, we celebrate its inclusion in Nigeria’s medical curriculum. The challenge now is sustaining these gains and ensuring every medical worker interacting with pregnant women receives this training,” she said.
Professor Ayodeji Oluwole, chairman of the Faculty of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, explained the program’s hands-on approach.
“You cannot practice on a live woman without first mastering skills on mannequins. This training has equipped our doctors with advanced techniques, and in five years, we expect a dramatic drop in preventable maternal deaths. The whole essence is to reduce the unfavorable and terrifying maternal death figures in Nigeria and Africa. We have trained about 220 resident doctors and 140 consultants across all six geopolitical zones. Right now, resident doctors are undergoing training at the National Hospital Abuja, which is crucial for achieving the federal government’s maternal health objectives,” he said.
Professor Sanusi Ibrahim from the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital highlighted regional disparities, stressing that maternal mortality remains alarmingly high in Northern Nigeria.
“This program has empowered resident doctors, who are the frontline workforce, with life-saving skills. But sustained progress requires government commitment, policy enforcement, and community education to combat harmful cultural beliefs.”
He added that with the training now integrated into Nigeria’s medical curriculum, they are calling for continued funding, nationwide scaling, and stronger policy enforcement to ensure lasting improvements in maternal healthcare.