In a renewed effort to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths and strengthen reproductive health services in Ondo State, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the ACE Group have trained 104 frontline healthcare workers drawn from 26 health facilities across four clusters.
The 10-day training focused on the Safer Birth Bundle of Care (SBBC) and Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP), aimed at improving the management of pregnant women from antenatal care through delivery, enhancing immediate newborn care, and strengthening access to safe and informed contraceptive services after childbirth.
Facilitators from Tanzania, as well as within Ondo State and outside the state, participated in the Capacity Building, which brought together doctors, nurses, and midwives from selected secondary and primary healthcare facilities in Ondo State. Key clinical areas covered included postpartum haemorrhage, eclampsia management, comprehensive newborn care, and postpartum long-acting reversible contraceptive (PP LARC) methods.
To further strengthen the intervention, CHAI donated multimillion-naira simulation tools to participating health facilities and pre-service training institutions. The tools are expected to support continuous hands-on practice and reinforce clinical competencies beyond the training period.
Speaking at the event, the Ondo State Team Lead for CHAI, Olamide Ayedun, appreciated the Country Director, Dr. Olufunke Fasawe, and the Associate Director of the Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, and Newborn Health Programme, Dr. Zainab Saidu, for selecting Ondo State as one of the implementation states.
He described the intervention as a strategic step toward improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes, noting that gaps in provider knowledge and counselling skills have contributed to low contraceptive uptake in the postpartum period. According to him, the training is designed to bridge these gaps.
The Administrative Secretary of the Hospitals’ Management Board, Dr. Lanre Iwaola, also commended CHAI and the ACE Group for the donation, assuring that the Ministry and the Board would ensure the tools are used effectively for their intended purpose.
In his remarks, the Director of the Family Health Department, Dr. Isaac Aladeniyi, explained that the training adopted a low-dose, high-frequency (LDHF) on-the-job approach designed to improve knowledge retention and practical application. He noted that healthcare workers can now continue learning within their facilities using the newly provided simulation tools.
He added that the Ministry of Health and the Hospitals’ Management Board would ensure continuous mentoring and supervision, while also integrating pre-service institutions to better prepare graduating nurses and midwives before entering clinical practice.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Adiji Ayodele, who represented the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Awolowo Ajaka, commended CHAI for the initiative and the updated knowledge delivered in maternal and newborn care.
He expressed confidence that the intervention would significantly improve maternal and neonatal health indicators in the state.
Also speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Prof. Simidele Odimayo, described the training as a step in the right direction, noting that participants would serve as SBBC and PPFP champions in their respective facilities and are expected to cascade the training to colleagues.
Mrs. Funmilayo Omotehinse, a cluster facilitator, explained that the training combined theory sessions, supervised practical exercises, and facility-based demonstrations. Participants also engaged in case scenario practices and were assessed through pre-training tests, competency-based evaluations, and post-training assessments to measure improvement in knowledge and skills.
One of the participant, Mrs. Adeoti Opeyemi, described the training as eye-opening and highly practical. She noted that it boosted her confidence and that she would apply the knowledge gained in the labour ward. She added that the hands-on sessions were particularly impactful in improving her counselling skills for implant and intrauterine device (IUD) methods.
The initiative underscores CHAI’s commitment to strengthening healthcare systems and improving maternal and child health outcomes in Ondo State through evidence-based interventions.
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