Every child lost to a preventable cause leaves behind a family and a painful question of whether timely, skilled care could have made the difference.

That concern took centre stage in Lagos as 4Breath4Life Foundation brought healthcare professionals, corporate leaders, philanthropists, development partners and members of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN) and Nigerian Society of Neonatal Medicine (NISONM) together to strengthen the fight against child mortality.

 

The foundation, led by its President, Dr Olumide Richard Oyefeso, marked its anniversary with a Heroes Award programme at Landmark Event Centre, Lagos, with a renewed call for stronger action to protect newborns and improve healthcare delivery.

A figure of about 700 child deaths daily was cited at the event, underscoring the urgency behind the foundation’s “Every Baby Lives” initiative, which seeks to prevent newborn deaths through improved knowledge, skills and access to quality care.

A video presentation chronicling the foundation’s journey brought the human cost of child mortality into sharp focus. It featured the story of Juliana Adesina, who could not save her son, as well as the foundation’s early outreach efforts in 2013 across Sagamu, Lantoro and Ikenne.

The presentation highlighted the realities that have continued to shape 4Breath4Life’s interventions and its efforts to equip healthcare workers to respond more effectively to emergencies involving mothers and children.

During a fireside chat hosted by Ms Abike Oluwaseyifunmi Ajadi, CEO of Seedar Group, Oyefeso, alongside board member, Dr Osamudiame Idahosa, spoke about what inspired the foundation and the challenges encountered in its early years.

Oyefeso recalled an outreach where he went to train about 200 healthcare providers. At one point, he needed to use the toilet and asked where he could find one. He was given a bag of water and later shown the facility, an experience that exposed him to the poor sanitary conditions in some underserved communities.

The experience, he explained, deepened his understanding of the realities confronting people in communities with limited access to basic healthcare facilities and strengthened his determination to contribute to better healthcare delivery.

Oyefeso also disclosed that the foundation’s work had not been driven by government funding, with board members playing a significant role in supporting its interventions, while encouraging more people to contribute towards efforts that save lives.

“Saving a life is not only about what happens in an emergency; it is about whether the person providing care has the right knowledge, skills and support,” he said.

Building on more than 5,000 healthcare workers already trained, 4Breath4Life is expanding its healthcare training programme with plans to reach 10,000 healthcare providers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The foundation’s programmes include Every Baby Lives, focused on preventing newborn deaths; Heart 4 Nigeria, which supports heart surgeries; healthcare-provider training and community outreaches.

The anniversary also featured the Heroes Award, which recognised individuals and organisations whose service, innovation and commitment have contributed to strengthening healthcare and community development in Nigeria.

Among those recognised were Dr Obi Mobo and Rosin Rushenwe, CEO of Afia Care, while Oluseun Onigbede, CEO of BudgIT, presented the awards.

Another board member, Dr Efe Effemini, was also part of the gathering, which brought together stakeholders united by the need for stronger collaboration around maternal and child healthcare.

As 4Breath4Life expands its training reach, the anniversary served as a reminder that the fight against child mortality cannot depend solely on responding when an emergency occurs. It must also involve preparing the people who provide care with the knowledge, skills and support needed to give every child a better chance to live.