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Maternal deaths in Nigeria persist due to preventable causes. Project Aisha by MSD for Mothers aims to end this tragedy.
Despite global progress, the burden of maternal deaths in Nigeria remains unacceptably high and remains unevenly distributed by geography, and socioeconomic status. Poor maternal outcomes in the country are rooted in systemic challenges that limit the demand for and utilization of good quality maternal care.
This guide offers practical, tested strategies to strengthen maternal health systems at both facility and community levels. It’s a must-read for health workers, policymakers, and advocates committed to saving mothers’ lives and improving quality of care.
Project Aisha is funded by MSD for Mothers and implemented by a consortium of four partners: Health Strategy and Deliver Foundation (HSDF), Ingress Health Partners (IHP), mDoc Healthcare, and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). The project seeks to address the systemic drivers of maternal deaths, at multiple levels within the health system to reduce maternal deaths and obstetric complications in Lagos and Kaduna states by 20% from 2022 to 2025.
Project Aisha, meaning alive and well, is a maternal health initiative funded by MSD for Mothers, designed to address the high rates of maternal mortality and obstetric complications in Nigeria. With a focus on Lagos and Kaduna, the project seeks to strengthen healthcare systems, improve access to quality maternal care, and ultimately reduce maternal deaths and obstetric complications by 20% from 2022 to 2025.
Maternal mortality remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, with preventable causes such as hemorrhage, infections, and obstructed labor contributing to the loss of thousands of lives each year. Through Project Aisha, MSD for Mothers envisions a future where no woman or newborn dies from preventable complications during childbirth.
By working closely with healthcare providers, policymakers, and local communities, Project Aisha is implementing evidence-based interventions, improving emergency obstetric care, and promoting innovative approaches to ensure safer pregnancies and deliveries. This initiative represents a critical step towards achieving sustainable improvements in maternal and newborn health in Nigeria.
Unique women were reached through our interventions.
Patient reviews were obtained via Navihealth.ai across 49 public and private health facilities
Pealthcare workers were built on maternal health related topics and QI methodology
Institutionalized quality improvement (QI) in health facilities
TBA practitioners were trained on safer birth practices and prompt referral
Community influencers were trained to promote maternal health education among women of reproductive age
Innovative QI intervention focused on improving the quality of maternal services and patients across the collaborative
Nurse-led health facilities in the lagos state.
Collaborative in Lagos and Kaduna
unique QI mentorship approaches to drive and sustain QI in lagos & kaduna states.
State mentors for continuous capacity building and supervision
Policy wins, with the change package document integrated into the health systems of Lagos and Kaduna States.
Explore how Project Aisha is transforming maternal healthcare through real-world interventions, improved systems, and measurable impact.
Non-Communicable Diseases
© Copyright HSDF 2026 | All Rights Reserved
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