Nigeria experiences among the highest maternal and newborn mortality globally, with the North Central Zone (Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory) particularly affected. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) for Nigeria is 993-1047 deaths /100,000 live births, while North Central zone has a rate of 1118; globally, 28% of all maternal deaths occur in Nigeria. Barriers such as workforce shortages, limited infrastructure, social attitudes, and restricted access to quality maternal and newborn care contribute to this toll. The Lancet Series (Renfrew et al) shows that investing in well-trained midwives can prevent 80% of maternal and newborn deaths in low-resource settings. This project addresses the urgent need for scalable solutions to enhance midwifery education and workforce capacity.
Thus the Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS) will launch a three-year initiative to deliver digital midwifery education to Year 3 students at eight institutions across North Central Zone, utilizing the FIRST-for-Midwives curriculum, which was proven in a RCT to be as effective as traditional training in building essential knowledge, clinical skills, and competence, but is more efficient and productive than standard training. The initiative aims to modernize midwifery education, improve workforce capacity, and reduce maternal and newborn mortality.
The project will be implemented in partnership with leadership from eight midwifery institutions, combining digital learning with hands-on clinical practice.