Sodiq Ojuroungbe The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom in partnership with Wellbeing Foundation Africa have embarked on training no fewer than 25 obstetricians and gynaecologists in Abuja as part of an effort to combat high maternal and child mortality in Nigeria. The training, which is the third batch of the Advanced Obstetrics and Surgical Skills for the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria faculty examiners was meant to enhance the capacity of NPMCN faculty examiners in training residents in obstetrics and gynecology. The five-day training programme, held at the National Postgraduate Medical College in Utako, Abuja, involves over 25 participants, trained by a team comprising three experienced facilitators from The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Nigeria Liaison Group, five former trainees from NPMCN, and one expert from LSTM UK.
The Country Director for LSTM Nigeria, Dr Hauwa Mohammed, said the training aims to address the pressing challenges of maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the country. Quoting data from the United Nations, Mohammed lamented that Nigeria accounts for 10 per cent of worldwide deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth. She said approximately 40 million Nigerian women of childbearing age (15 to 49 years old) are impacted.
Mohammed further said the highlights of the project’s aims to improve maternal and child healthcare outcomes throughout Nigeria, addressing Nigeria’s high maternal and neo.