Maternal health experts have emphasized the urgent need for accurate data collection to combat maternal mortality and stillbirth rates in Nigeria, warning that many maternal deaths remain undocumented.
Speaking at the Lagos State Verbal and Social Autopsy Sample Registration System (LVASA-SRS) project meeting, stakeholders highlighted the importance of evidence-based interventions to improve maternal health outcomes. The LVASA-SRS project, a collaboration between researchers, the Lagos State government, and other partners, aims to provide precise estimates of maternal and perinatal mortality in the state.
Professor Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas, a maternal and newborn health expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, stressed that reliable data is crucial for shaping effective health policies. As a co-principal investigator and strategy lead for LVASA-SRS, he noted that the initiative has been collecting data over the past year to understand the full scope of maternal deaths and stillbirths in Lagos.
“This summit allows us to review the data and plan how to communicate our findings to policymakers. Without accurate estimates, we cannot measure progress or design effective interventions,” he said.
Banke-Thomas also highlighted the importance of community-level research, made possible through funding from the Gates Foundation, which has enabled engagement with families to understand why and how maternal deaths occur outside healthcare facilities.
Consultant gynaecologist Donald Imosemi, who chairs the Lagos State Steering Committee on Maternal, Perinatal, and Child Death Surveillance and Response, echoed the call for data-driven strategies. He emphasized that identifying the root causes of maternal deaths and stillbirths is essential for guiding targeted interventions and ensuring that resources are allocated effectively.
“The strength of a health system is reflected in its ability to care for mothers and children. Lagos State has made progress, ranking 8th in Africa for healthcare quality, but we are aiming higher,” Imosemi stated.
He further stressed the need for collaboration with private healthcare providers, which account for approximately 60% of healthcare delivery in Lagos. According to him, a comprehensive approach involving both public and private sectors is essential to tackling maternal health challenges effectively.
“One thing we know is that most maternal deaths happen in the community and go undocumented. By obtaining better estimates, we can formulate the right interventions and prevent these deaths,” he added.
Experts at the meeting agreed that strengthening community health systems would have a ripple effect across secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, ultimately leading to improved maternal and perinatal outcomes.
The LVASA-SRS project team includes researchers from Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, and officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, and the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board. The meeting was supported by the African Population and Health Research Center and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
