Health expert: There’s an urgent need to strengthen capacity of healthcare workers in Nigeria

Charles Ameh, head of department at the International Public Health, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, said there is an urgent need for continued efforts to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers to manage obstetric emergencies and save lives.

Ameh spoke at the conclusion of a two-day advanced obstetric surgical skills (AOSS) training for examiners of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN).

The training was conducted by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) at the Surgical Skills Centre at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

According to the organisers, the training was designed as a refresher course, focusing on strengthening examiners’ proficiency in using objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) equipment.

It also aims to ensure high standards and uniformity in the clinical evaluation of resident doctors preparing for their Part 1 fellowship examinations in obstetrics and gynaecology.

A key highlight of the training was the handover of advanced OSCE equipment to NPMCN on Thursday.

The donation included 16 Kiwi omni cups, resusci baby QCPR wireless units, little Anne cimbo models, and Lucy and Mum obstetric simulators.

The organisers said Nigeria continues to bear an “unacceptably high burden of maternal mortality”, with an estimated 75,000 maternal deaths in 2023, accounting for approximately 28.7 percent of global maternal deaths.

“Our focus is on improving the quality of care for maternal and newborn health and reducing the risk of death during pregnancy and childbirth,” Ameh said.

“While significant progress has been made, there is still much work to do to ensure equitable access to life-saving care, particularly in underserved regions.

“We are at a pivotal stage of this project, in our pathway to sustainable impact. This training and handover of examination equipment will help consolidate the gains of the project recorded so far.

“We expect a national improvement in the quality of training and care for pregnant women in Nigeria through this initiative.”

Helen Allot, LSTM UK course director, described the training as a big success.

“We started developing this training back in 2018. The first country we tried was Cambodia in South-East Asia. We have also done a lot in Kenya as well as in Nigeria. But I think the wholesome cooperation and the college’s support and the amazing consultants we worked with and the keenness to take on new techniques and processes and share them with others made the project successful,” Allot said.

“We very much hope the training will be incorporated and made mandatory for all residents, so in the second stage of the training, they will be able to take a course as something they must do before they progress further. In that way, it will be sustainable.”

‘THE TRAINING WOULD REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY IN NIGERIA’

Tade Darotimi, a professor from Obafemi Awolowo University and one of the trainees, said the training has allowed her to upskill.

“The course is one of the efforts targeted at reducing maternal mortality in Nigeria. This course is important not only for our training residents but for consultants as well. It helps us to update our surgical skills. This would go a long way in helping to reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria,” she said.

“The training has refreshed me, and I was able to learn how to do things in a better way. It is very important from time to time to update the knowledge of obstetricians and midwives who treat pregnant women on a daily basis and take care of women with complications.”

Williams Awotunde, director of programming and reporting at WBFA, said investing in women’s health translates to investing in the nation.

Awotunde delivered a goodwill message on behalf of Toyin Saraki, wife of Bukola Saraki, former senate president.

“When we invest in the health of women and children, we are investing in the future of our families, communities, and nations. This is not just an act of goodwill, it is a declaration of our shared responsibility and commitment to life,” she said.

The programme has trained 82 examiners and 120 resident doctors in AOSS across Nigeria.