Her Excellency Toyin Ojora Saraki, Founder and President of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, on Friday, visited the Advanced Obstetrics and Surgical Skills Training event at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
This training session, aimed at faculty examiners of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), highlights the Foundation’s ongoing partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
During her visit, Mrs. Saraki delivered a heartfelt speech emphasizing the importance of the ongoing training and the fruitful partnership with the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. She highlighted Nigeria’s high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality, expressing how this collaboration aims to enhance the skills of NPMCN faculty examiners. The knowledge they gain will be passed on to resident doctors, significantly impacting healthcare outcomes in Nigeria
She said: “Nigeria faces significant maternal and neonatal health challenges, with one of the highest maternal mortality ratios globally. The 2023 UN report on Trends in Maternal Mortality from 2000-2020 revealed that nearly 28.5% of global maternal deaths occur in Nigeria. The report further states that a woman in Nigeria has a 1 in 19 lifetime risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum, compared to a 1 in 4900 risk in the most developed countries.
As you engage in intensive training covering advanced techniques and best practices for managing obstetric and neonatal emergencies, I hope this hands-on approach will not only enhance your skills but also empower you to train others. This will create a ripple effect, benefiting countless mothers and children across Nigeria.”
Dr. Hauwa Mohammed, Country Director for LSTM Nigeria, also expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Saraki for taking the time to support the training. She appreciated her visit and acknowledged the positive impact of her involvement.
Mrs. Saraki recognized the efforts of the trained facilitators from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) Nigeria Liaison Group and the NPMCN faculty. She expressed her gratitude for their selfless service to humanity and their dedication to improving healthcare in their home country.
Dr. Ayodeji Oluwole, Faculty Chairman of the Faculty of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NPMCN, also voiced his appreciation for the training and the partnership. Reflecting on his own experience as a trainee in a previous batch, he expressed confidence that the current participants would use the knowledge they acquire to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
Participants shared their gratitude for the training, describing it as eye-opening and transformative for their knowledge and practice.
Prof. Munir’deen Ijaiya from the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, one of the expert trainers, gave the closing remarks. He recounted his initial involvement in training in Nigeria back in 2009, including his participation in the Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (EmONC) project in healthcare facilities in Kwara State by LSTM and WBFA. This initiative led to a 15% reduction in maternal case fatality rates and a 38% reduction in stillbirth rates where the project was implemented. He encouraged the participants to apply their newly acquired skills in their various assignments and to innovate with available resources if ideal tools and mannequins are not accessible. He concluded by proudly mentioning that he had already alerted his team to prepare for their first training session next week.
This partnership reaffirms the Wellbeing Foundation Africa’s commitment to improving health outcomes for women and children in Nigeria.
This project is funded through the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP), supported by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), and managed by the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) for the benefit of the UK and partner country health sectors.
