LAGOS MOVES TO ESTABLISH STATE-OWNED FRAMEWORK FOR STRONGER MATERNAL, NEWBORN EMERGENCY CARE
…Ogunyemi tasks stakeholders on sustainable training, functional referral systems, accurate data to reduce preventable deaths
Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths through the development of a state-owned framework to strengthen emergency obstetric and neonatal care, focusing on healthcare workers’ competencies, coordinated clinical response, functional facilities and sustainable service delivery.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, disclosed this at a High-Level Stakeholders’ Engagement and Technical Co-Creation Workshop on designing a state-owned pathway to stronger maternal and newborn emergency care in Lagos State, organised by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Training for Emergency Action, Management and Workflows in Midwifery, Obstetrics and Neonatal Care (TEAM OB/NEO). The engagement held from November 10 to 12, 2026, at Protea Hotel, Alausa-Ikeja.
Delivering the keynote address at the November 10 engagement, Ogunyemi said complications such as postpartum haemorrhage, eclampsia and prematurity-related conditions continued to threaten maternal and newborn survival despite ongoing government investments. She noted that Lagos faced additional pressure from its growing population and influx of people from other states, including pregnant women seeking specialised maternity services, making it imperative to strengthen the healthcare system. “The question before us is not simply whether the complications can be recognised, but whether healthcare workers at the point of care can identify them early, communicate effectively, make timely decisions and provide the appropriate interventions,” she said.
The Special Adviser advocated an integrated approach combining competency-based training, simulation exercises, standardised clinical workflows, multidisciplinary teamwork, mentorship and functional emergency response systems. She identified six priorities for successful implementation; including government ownership and sustainability, practical capacity development, facility readiness, standardised clinical practices, data-driven accountability and stakeholder coordination.
Emphasising the importance of evidence-based planning, she stated: “When you approach the government to request resources, you must be able to support your request with evidence. You must show what the situation was before, what it is now and what happened in between.” She urged stakeholders to ensure that TEAM OB/NEO evolved beyond a training programme into a sustainable, state-owned intervention with measurable improvements in maternal and newborn health outcomes.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, represented by the Director, Family Health and Nutrition, Dr. Abosede Wellington, described the engagement as an opportunity to translate existing commitments into a coordinated and sustainable action plan. She stressed that preventing avoidable deaths required more than access to healthcare facilities, highlighting the importance of skilled health workers, clear clinical protocols, teamwork, functional equipment and essential medicines. She urged participants to develop practical recommendations that reflected the realities of healthcare facilities across the state.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Dr. Olufemi Omololu, called for measurable benchmarks to assess progress in reducing maternal mortality and improving emergency care. He identified workforce shortages and high staff attrition as major challenges, emphasising the need for continuous training and capacity development. He also stressed that beyond access to healthcare facilities, the state must ensure that patients receive timely and appropriate care upon arrival through clearly defined emergency response pathways.
In their goodwill messages, the Programme Manager, Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation (HSDF), Dr. Emmanuel Asandobe, reaffirmed the Foundation’s longstanding partnership with Lagos State, particularly in quality improvement and maternal and newborn healthcare. The Maternal Health/Family Planning Analyst, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Lagos Liaison Office, Dr. Akinkunmi Akinbanjo, said the initiative aligned with UNFPA’s maternal health mandate, expressing the need for synergy with existing interventions to avoid duplication and strengthen collaboration.
The State Project Manager, Centre for Integrated Health Programme (CIHP), Dr. Oluwabunmi Adesanya, said the AEARI Project was designed to prevent avoidable maternal deaths and ensure access to quality healthcare for mothers and children. She explained that the project, supported by the Gates Foundation through Technical Advice Connect, with additional European Union support for selected facilities, had collaborated with the Lagos State Government and relevant health institutions to promote proven maternal and newborn health innovations. Also speaking, the Project Manager, MDOC Healthcare, Solomon Chinedu, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to its longstanding partnership with Lagos State, expressing optimism about improved health outcomes through the collaboration.
The workshop brought together representatives of government ministries and agencies, health districts, professional associations, development partners and healthcare institutions to examine existing gaps and co-create an implementation pathway suited to Lagos State’s health system. Deliberations focused on priority interventions, institutional responsibilities, workforce capacity gaps, facility readiness, mentorship, referral systems and mechanisms for monitoring programme implementation and measuring improvements in the quality of maternal and newborn emergency care.
