Every April 7th, World Health Day presents a global opportunity to reflect, refocus, and recommit to the vision of health for all. In 2025, the theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures” spotlighted a critical issue, maternal and newborn health, where smart innovations and interventions can mean the difference between life and loss. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 295,000 women died during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2017, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for two-thirds of these deaths. Nigeria alone accounts for almost 20% of global maternal deaths, with a maternal mortality ratio of 512 deaths per 100,000 live births (NDHS, 2018). Newborns are also at significant risk accounting for 47% of all under-five deaths globally (UNICEF, 2022). These stark figures remind us that maternal and newborn health is not just a medical issue, it is a development imperative.

Every day in 2020, approximately 800 women died from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, meaning that a woman dies around every two minutes. This translates to approximately 800 maternal deaths per day in Nigeria.
Nigeria’s data according to WHO et al. (2023). Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.1 is to reduce maternal mortality to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 live births by 2030. Nigeria’s maternal mortality ratio is alarmingly high at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births, while neonatal mortality stands at 38 per 1,000 live births (NDHS, 2018). Many of these deaths are preventable with timely, quality care, skilled health workers, and adequate health infrastructure. Each year, World Health Day marks an opportunity to recommit to universal health equity (WHO, 2023: 2021; UNFPA, 2022; Ejekam et al., 2021; National Population Commission, 2019). The theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures” underscores an urgent truth: that maternal and newborn health is not just foundational, it is transformational. And yet, the promise of safe childbirth and thriving infancy remains elusive for many women and children in Nigeria and across Africa.

At Sydani, we believe that every mother and newborn deserve to thrive and not just survive. This belief shapes our commitment to building health systems that prioritize maternal and newborn well-being one innovative project at a time. Every project is a step toward rewriting this narrative. Through innovative programs that serve women and under five children, we are working to transform these statistics into stories of survival, strength, and hope.

STRICAN: Strengthening Immunization for Newborn Health in Niger State

The Strengthening Routine Immunization in Consequential Areas in Niger State (STRICAN) project is a bold response to the silent crisis of zero-dose children especially in some of Nigeria’s hardest-to-reach communities. Funded by the Taskforce for Global Health in collaboration with US-CDC, Sydani Group through STRICAN, has deployed a precision-driven Identify, Enumerate, and Vaccinate (IEV) strategy across ten tier 2 Local Government Areas of Niger State.

Through the innovative Identify, Enumerate, and Vaccinate (IEV) strategy, STRICAN has implemented microplanning through geo-mapping, frontline health workers including outreach teams, Community Health Influencers and Promoters (CHIPS Agents), and local CSO mobilization to generate demand, and real-time data tracking using tools like the Micro Coverage Tracking Tool (MCTT) to enhance service delivery that has identified and vaccinated thousands of zero-dose children and the Partner Resource Mapping Tool (PRMT) to optimize partner coordination in the state and strengthen existing health systems. In its first phase, through these innovative approaches, the STRICAN project achieved the vaccination of 27% of zero-dose children across the four target LGAs, (Katcha, Kontagora, Mariga and Rafi) contributing to significant progress in immunization efforts. With Phase 2 underway, our goal is even more ambitious: to achieve a 10% additional reduction and expand impact across more underserved areas. Building on the successes, the Sydani team now supports the state in institutionalizing proven strategies while striving to optimize zero-dose vaccination coverage by 15% across additional six LGAs, (Bosso, Borgou, Mokwa, Rijau, Shiroro, and Wushishi). Beyond numbers, STRICAN brings lifesaving vaccines directly to communities, closing gaps in immunization and reducing neonatal mortality caused by preventable diseases. It embodies the spirit of “Healthy Beginnings” with tangible, measurable hope. Through the STRICAN project, Sydani Group has proven that equitable immunization is not a dream, it is a lived reality for thousands of children.

eMSS: A Nation-Wide Leap for Skilled Birth Attendance

Another pillar in Sydani’s maternal health portfolio is the Extended Midwives Service Scheme (eMSS), implemented in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The challenge was stark: many Nigerian PHCs were without trained Skilled Birth Attendants (SBAs), leaving countless women to deliver without support.

Between 2022 and 2025, Sydani facilitated the recruitment and deployment of 1,977 SBAs across 36 states and the FCT. By improving access to skilled care during delivery and postpartum, the project enhances maternal and newborn survival outcomes, directly contributing to the reduction of maternal mortality from hemorrhage, infection, and obstructed labor. We also developed supervision frameworks to sustain high-quality care at the primary level. eMSS is now revitalizing PHCs, restoring trust in facility-based deliveries, and ensuring that no woman has to give birth alone.

From Data to Impact: A Journey of Transformation in Maternal and Neonatal Health

Nigeria’s health system is on a journey, and Sydani is proud to be one of the trailblazers. From reducing zero-dose burdens in Niger to building a skilled maternal health workforce and advancing service integration, we are driving forward the vision of “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.”

Our work has helped shift the narrative. Neonatal mortality is being reduced one vaccine at a time, and communities once invisible to health systems are being mapped, served, and safeguarded.

But there is more to do. Universal Health Coverage is not just a policy goal, it’s a human right. To get there, we must continue investing in health workers, facilities, supply chains, digital tools, and most importantly, in the lives of mothers and their babies.

From Risk to Resilience: Our Vision for Mothers and Newborns

World Health Day may be over, but the change it inspired and the stories it stirred are just beginning. By improving maternal and neonatal health, we advance UHC and accelerate progress across the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and Africa Agenda 2063 (UNFPA, 2022; WHO 2012). At the heart of these projects lies a shared goal: to reduce preventable deaths and ensure that every mother, newborn and under five has access to quality, respectful, and timely healthcare. Innovations in cold chain systems, community health engagement, and data governance have strengthened our reach and reliability. Through our work, Sydani is directly contributing to, reducing neonatal mortality, increasing immunization coverage, and expanding skilled attendance at birth in Africa and across the Globe.

This World Health Day, let us remember, when we invest in maternal and newborn health, we invest in a healthier, more equitable future. At Sydani, we remain committed to delivering smart, scalable, and sustainable solutions. Let us build forward together. For every mother. For every newborn. One birth. One life. One future at a time, for a healthier tomorrow.

References

1. Ejekam, C. S., Nyangara, F. M., Anyakora, C., & Nwokike, J. (2021). A descriptive study of healthcare providers’ experiences with the use and quality of oxytocin for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage in Nigeria: A nationwide survey. PLOS ONE, 16(10), e0258096. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258096. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
2. National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and ICF. (2019). Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018. Abuja, Nigeria, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: NPC and ICF. https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR359/FR359.pdf. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
3. United Nations (UN). (2023). UN Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016–2030): 2023 Progress Report. New York: UN. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240077295. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
4. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). (2022). Oxygen and cold chain equipment for maternal and newborn health. New York: UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/supply/media/7411/file/Cold-chain-maternal-health-2022.pdf. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
5. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2021). Delivering maternal health care: Supporting health systems. New York: UNFPA. https://www.unfpa.org/publications. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
6. United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2022). State of World Population Report: Seeing the Unseen. New York: UNFPA. https://www.unfpa.org/sowp-2022. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
7. World Health Organization (WHO). (2012). WHO recommendations for the prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage. Geneva: WHO. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/75411/9789241548502_eng.pdf. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
8. World Health Organization (WHO). (2020). Oxytocin storage and stability requirements. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2020-updated-guidelines-on-oxytocin. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
9. World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Every Woman, Every Child: Progress in Partnership. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/every-woman-every-child-progress-in-partnership-2021. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
10. World Health Organization (WHO). (2023). Substandard and falsified medical products. Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/substandard-and-falsified-medical-products. [Accessed 7th April 11, 2025].
11. World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Bank Group, & United Nations (UN). (2023). Trends in maternal mortality 2000 to 2020: Estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group and UNDESA/Population Division. Healthy Newborn Network. https://healthynewbornnetwork.org/resource/2023/trends-in-maternal-mortality-2000-to-2020/