International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

A proposal to build the capacity for improving the quality of emergency obstetric care and prevent maternal morbidity and mortality in Nigeria 

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Nigeria is working in three facilities, each located in a different state: University of Benin Teaching Hospital in Edo State, Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital in Nnewi, Amambra State, and Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital in Kaduna, Kaduna State. Through their activities - such as emergency obstetric and neonatal care training and advocacy - they hope to show decreased maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. A large component of the project is data collection and analysis at the three sites. 

Key successes:

• There has been improvement in the monitoring of data and the sites now prospectively fill in the maternal death forms.
• There has been a decrease in the case fatality rate of some of the major causes of maternal mortality, such as eclampsia.
• Successful advocacy to Ministry of Health regarding recruitment of human resources in rural areas and the implementation of Magnesium Sulphate in hospitals.
• Safe motherhood committees at all sites have been active and able to perform their functions: organising in-service training and auditing all maternal deaths (there is now an excellent record kept of all maternal deaths). 

Twinned country association: The Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists (NFOG) 

Conclusion date: 31 December 2010

Advocacy workshop