Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maternal health sector have gathered in Lagos to celebrate a major milestone – a 58 per cent reduction in maternal deaths across 32 health facilities in Lagos and Kaduna states, achieved through the implementation of Project Aisha.

The Maternal Health Quality Improvement Summit provided a platform to reflect on the initiative’s impact, share best practices, and discuss strategies for sustaining and expanding the progress made. The event amplified voices from the frontlines and emphasised the importance of collective action in safeguarding the lives of pregnant women.

Project Aisha, funded by MSD for Mothers under the Strengthening Systems for Safer Childbirth initiative, was launched to address the primary causes of maternal mortality in Nigeria: pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, postpartum haemorrhage, and obstructed labour.

Implemented by a consortium of four organisations, Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF), Ingress Health Partners, mDoc Healthcare, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Project Aisha is designed to be both scalable and tailored to local contexts.

Director, Project Aisha and Managing Principal, Nigeria Operations at HSDF, Dr. Layi Olatawura, explained that the initiative, since 2022, has not only reduced maternal deaths by 58 per cent, but also strengthened the competencies of over 700 healthcare workers and reached more than 110,000 women with maternal health services.

Speaking at the summit, Medical Director at Ingress Health Partners, Dr. Orode Doherty, attributed the project’s success to its comprehensive approach to quality improvement.

Improvement Advisor at IHI, Dr. Kendra Njoku, echoed the need for stronger government involvement to sustain the gains.