Stakeholders in Nigeria’s maternal health sector gathered in Lagos to celebrate a major milestone: a 58 percent 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, held in Lagos, 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 emphasized 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 hemorrhage, 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.

She noted some key interventions under Project Aisha include reducing waiting times, improving the speed of clinical decision-making, and addressing the top three causes of maternal mortality.

One of the initiative’s major tools for national expansion is a newly launched Change Package, which outlines proven practices that can be adapted by any health facility, public or private, rural or urban. She called for greater government support to scale the effort.

“This package offers a step-by-step roadmap that other providers can use to reduce maternal deaths in their own contexts,” Doherty added.

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

“We’ve seen positive engagement from the Lagos and Kaduna State Ministries of Health, but for long-term impact, we need a national commitment to quality-driven maternal care,” she said.

Technology and real-time data feedback have also played a critical role in the project’s outcomes.

The Manager of Women’s Wellness at mDoc Healthcare, Chiagozie Abiakam, highlighted the use of digital platforms like NaviHealth.ai to gather direct feedback from women receiving care.

“If a woman reports that she left the hospital worse than she arrived, the system flags it instantly, prompting immediate corrective action,” she explained.

Representing MSD for Mothers, Iyadunni Olubode stressed that solving Nigeria’s maternal mortality crisis requires collaboration across sectors.

“Nigeria remains one of the most dangerous places to give birth. This isn’t just a government issue; the private sector must step up, as we have, to drive sustainable change,” she said.