Laerdal Global Health and UNICEF Partner to Scale Up Safer Births Bundle of Care in Nigeria
A new partnership between Laerdal Global Health (LGH) and UNICEF, funded by the European Union, will significantly expand the reach of the Safer Births Bundle of Care (SBBC) program in Nigeria. Building on successful implementations in Borno and Gombe states, the program will now scale up to three additional states: Kwara, Sokoto, and Adamawa, as part of a major initiative to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.
Nigeria faces one of the highest burdens of maternal and newborn mortality globally. Each year, over seven million babies are born, yet 240,000 die within their first month of life, with 94,000 dying on the day of birth. Neonatal mortality accounts for 32% of under-five deaths, driven by complications such as prematurity, birth asphyxia, infections, and jaundice. Maternal mortality is equally alarming—Nigeria recorded approximately 75,000 maternal deaths in 2023, representing 28.7% of global maternal deaths. These statistics underline that urgent action is needed to strengthen care quality and workforce capacity.
The Partnership
UNICEF has secured a €45 million, four-year grant from the EU, jointly implemented with UNFPA, to improve reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health services across Nigeria. LGH will support the integration of the Safer Births Bundle of Care into this initiative, aligning with Nigeria’s clinical guidelines and frameworks to strengthen essential care for women and children.
Safer Births Bundle of Care (SBBC) is a program developed by the Safer Births Consortium, a multidisciplinary research and development collaboration that began in Tanzania. The program focusses on developing the health workforce, through embedding low-dose, high frequency simulation training, alongside improved clinical tools, which target the management of the leading causes of perinatal mortality. These training and clinical innovations have been designed for use in low-income settings, and validated for use through rigorous research. Alongside the innovations, the program comprises data-driven quality improvement initiatives and a focus on sustainability over time.
The Safer Births Bundle of Care was selected because it is backed by proven evidence and real-world success. In Tanzania, across five states, this approach has demonstrated remarkable impact—reducing early newborn deaths by 40% and maternal deaths by 75%. SBBC is not only effective but scalable, making it an ideal solution to strengthen health systems and save lives in Nigeria.
Goals and Objectives
The scale-up in partnership with UNICEF aims to:
- Empower healthcare workers through targeted skills training and mentorship.
- Deploy novel clinical and training equipment for labor monitoring and emergency management.
- Leverage data for continuous quality improvement, supported by digital dashboards.
Through a tiered training approach—mentors, facility champions, and frontline healthcare workers—the program will strengthen competencies and embed sustainable practices.
Expected Impact
Over the implementation period, an estimated 712,560 women, including 142,512 adolescent girls, will benefit from improved quality of care. Outcomes include:
- Enhanced skills and confidence among healthcare workers.
- Increased use of simulation-based training.
- Greater adoption of digital tools for monitoring and mentoring.
- Improved maternal and newborn survival rates.
Every mother and newborn deserves a safe birth. By partnering with UNICEF, with funds from EU, we can accelerate progress toward ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths in Nigeria. This collaboration allows us to bring proven solutions to scale and strengthen health systems where they are needed most
Looking Ahead
This partnership represents a critical step toward achieving SDG 3 targets and Nigeria’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage. By scaling SBBC to Kwara, Sokoto, and Adamawa, we aim to save thousands of lives and create lasting improvements in maternal and newborn health.