Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and Partners Mark Milestone in Strengthening Nigeria’s Maternal and Newborn Health Workforce through the Global Health Workforce Programme
Abuja, Nigeria – 1 August 2025
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) and the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), in partnership with the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), convened stakeholders in Abuja today for the dissemination meeting marking the successful conclusion of the costed extension phase of the Global Health Workforce Programme (GHWP) Local Grant 130; Advanced Emergency Obstetric, Newborn Care and Surgical Skill competency-based curriculum for resident doctors in obstetrics and gynecology with the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria;. This event celebrates significant progress in advancing emergency obstetric, newborn care, and surgical skills training for resident doctors in obstetrics and gynecology across Nigeria.
The Global Health Workforce Programme was established to address critical gaps in the global health workforce by investing in human resource development and knowledge exchange between health sectors in the UK and partner countries. Funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and managed by the Global Health Partnerships (Formerly THET). The GHWP has supported 14 institutional partnerships across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and the United Kingdom, training 2,577 health workers in key areas including clinical service delivery, leadership, education, and gender equity and social inclusion. These investments in human capital have demonstrably strengthened healthcare delivery and improved maternal and newborn health outcomes across diverse Nigerian communities.
The dissemination event showcased the Programme’s impact in building the capacity of Nigeria’s health workforce through the Advanced Obstetrics and Surgical Skills (AOSS) competency-based curriculum. Developed in collaboration with NPMCN, the course has contributed to strengthening postgraduate clinical education and equipping providers with life-saving skills. The meeting also provided a platform for partners to reflect on achievements, share lessons, and chart a course for sustained national scale-up.
Following the success of the initial phase, a costed extension was granted to broaden the programme’s geographic reach. New training sites were established in Port Harcourt (South-South zone) and Gombe (North-East zone)—achieving coverage across all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. This expansion was critical in enhancing equitable access to high-quality emergency obstetric and surgical training nationwide.
Over the programme’s lifecycle, a total of 266 health professionals were trained in AOSS. These included 85 consultant obstetricians, 168 senior registrars, 9 registrars, and 4 medical officers. Among them, 82 were NPMCN faculty examiners and 184 were resident doctors, ensuring both clinical expertise and academic mentorship capacity. The programme also emphasized gender equity, with 98 female and 192 male participants, reflecting growing inclusion in specialist care roles.
To decentralise access to hands-on, high-quality training, the programme established two Centres of Excellence for AOSS: one at Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, and the other at Lagos University Teaching Hospital’s Surgical Skills Centre. These hubs now serve as vital platforms for continuous professional development and innovation in maternal and newborn emergency care. In total, the GHWP collaborated with over 48 hospitals across six states, underscoring its deep national footprint.
A hallmark of the extension phase was the strategic donation of state-of-the-art Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) equipment to NPMCN. This included Lucy & Mum obstetric simulators, Kiwi Omni Cups, Little Anne Combo models, and Resusci Baby QCPR wireless units. These tools have played a transformative role in enabling simulation-based, practical learning enhancing the competence and confidence of Nigeria’s future obstetricians.
At the event in a Goodwill message by Her Excellency Toyin Saraki – The Founder and President, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa she stated:
“We stand at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s maternal and neonatal health journey. Our country still faces one of the world’s highest burdens of maternal mortality, a reality that the government and partners are tackling with urgency. This partnership is an ambitious nationwide effort to “crash” maternal mortality by targeting the areas of greatest need.
The work we are celebrating today directly complements the goals of WBFA priority of maternal and child health care. By building a cadre of well-trained obstetric clinicians and integrating life-saving skills into the national curriculum, we are addressing one of the critical delays in care, the shortage of skilled healthcare professionals at delivery.”
The GHWP directly aligns with and complements national maternal and newborn health improvement efforts. By strengthening the interface between postgraduate clinical training and health system priorities, the Programme reinforces Nigeria’s journey toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) ensuring frontline health workers are equipped to deliver timely, effective, and equitable care.
The Global Health Workforce Programme is funded by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and managed by the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) for the benefit of both the UK and its partner countries through shared learning and system strengthening.
For media enquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:
Rasheed Yusuf
Director, Public Policy, Impact & Partnership
Wellbeing Foundation Africa
rasheed.yusuf@wbfafrica.org