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Maternal health experts have emphasised the need for data-driven approaches in reducing maternal mortality rates and stillbirth in Nigeria.
While lamenting that many maternal deaths are not documented in the country, the experts stressed the importance of accurate data to drive effective, evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing maternal deaths and stillbirth rates across the nation.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise at the Lagos State Verbal and Social Autopsy Sample Registration System of Maternal Deaths and Stillbirths Impact Prototype project meeting, the physicians noted that the government must prioritise data collection and analysis to make a meaningful impact on reducing maternal mortality and stillbirth rates.
The LVASA-SRS project is a collaborative effort between researchers, the Lagos State government, and other stakeholders working to provide precise estimates of maternal mortality and stillbirth rates in Lagos State.
A Professor of Maternal and Newborn Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas underscored the critical role of data in shaping the future of maternal health interventions.
Banke-Thomas, a co-principal investigator and strategy lead for LVASA-SRS, stated that the initiative’s ultimate goal is to generate reliable estimates of maternal mortality and stillbirth rates in Lagos State, which will guide actionable policies for improved health outcomes.
The don explained that the project has been collecting data over the past year and has brought stakeholders together to unpack the data and plan how to disseminate the results to policymakers.
He said, “We have been working for the past year, capturing data, to understand maternal mortality and stillbirths in Lagos state.
“This summit aims to sit down with our collaborators, review this data, and plan how we can communicate these findings to policymakers, ensuring that practical and impactful interventions are adopted to address these issues in Lagos.
“The Gates Foundation’s funding has been absolutely critical. It has enabled us to mobilise stakeholders and dive into community-level research.”
“While maternal deaths are often recorded at healthcare facilities, many more occur in the community. This funding has allowed us to capture those deaths through community actors who speak to families and relatives about why and how these deaths occurred,” he explained.
The professor further emphasised the role of researchers in assembling the data needed for sustainable, evidence-based interventions.
He underscored the importance of developing a system that the Lagos state government can adopt and continue beyond the project’s conclusion.
As the summit discussions unfolded, Banke-Thomas acknowledged that although progress had been made, the findings so far were concerning.
He added that the data, which remains a work in progress, has begun to reveal alarming insights about the realities of maternal mortality in the state.
“Ultimately, what this work will do is to ensure that we can develop effective interventions based on accurate estimates. Until we have a firm understanding of the data, we can’t know if progress has been made or how we can move forward,” he said.
Also speaking, a consultant gynaecologist, Donald Imosemi echoed the call for data-driven approaches to reduce maternal mortality and stillbirths.
Imosemi who is the chairman of the Lagos State Steering Committee on Maternal, Perinatal, and Child Death Surveillance and Response, stressed the importance of accurately identifying the leading causes of maternal deaths and stillbirths, adding that this information is essential for guiding effective interventions.
He highlighted Lagos State’s ongoing commitment to improving maternal and child health outcomes, maintaining that much work still needs to be done.
“The strength of a health system is reflected in its ability to care for its mothers and children. They represent the most vulnerable populations.
“Lagos state has made strides in improving healthcare, ranking 8th in Africa for quality healthcare delivery, but we are not satisfied. We are aiming higher,” he noted.
Addressing the objectives of the ongoing study, Imosemi explained that accurate data is essential for determining the causes and contributing factors to maternal deaths and stillbirths.
He stated that the information gathered will help target interventions, guide resource allocation, and improve outcomes.
He added, “We need to ensure that we don’t just rely on figures. We need to be precise about the causes of maternal mortality and stillbirths.
“Once we have that precision, we can tailor interventions more effectively. Our resources are limited, so they must be used where they will have the greatest impact.”
The maternal health expert emphasised the need for a concerted effort, particularly with private healthcare providers.
According to him, the private sector accounts for approximately 60% of healthcare delivery in the state, a significant proportion that cannot be ignored.
“There is a major contribution from the private sector, and we must continue to engage them. This initiative isn’t just about government facilities; it’s about ensuring that the entire healthcare system, including private providers, works together to tackle maternal mortality and stillbirths,” he explained.
With most maternal deaths occurring at the community level, the gynaecologist stressed the importance of addressing these issues at the grassroots level.
He acknowledged that, currently, much of this data remains undocumented, making it harder to understand the full scope of the problem.
“One thing we know is that most maternal deaths happen in the community, and they go undocumented. By getting better estimates at the community level, we will be in a much better position to formulate the right interventions and prevent these deaths from happening.
“The government needs to know exactly where the resources should be focused. We want to be able to make decisions based on real data that reflect what is happening in our communities,” he said.
By improving community health systems and making them more effective, Imosemi argued that a ripple effect could be created across the healthcare system, improving both public and private healthcare services.
The focus on community health, he said, would eventually lead to better outcomes at secondary and tertiary care facilities.
“Once we address the issues at the community level, we will see improvements at all levels of care. This isn’t just about healthcare in government facilities. It’s about creating a healthcare ecosystem where everyone—public and private—works together to prevent maternal and perinatal deaths,” he stated.
The project team includes academics and researchers from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, as well as government officials in the Lagos State Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Innovation Science and Technology, the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, and the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response committee.
The meeting was facilitated with support from the African Population and Health Research Center and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
