Grant: Project Grant

Many newborns in Nigeria are born with conditions that require urgent surgery to survive, but their chance of survival is much lower than in high-income countries. In Nigeria, more than a quarter of these infants die, and for some specific conditions, more than half do not survive. These poor outcomes are often due to delays in reaching the hospital, difficulties paying for or accessing care, and shortages of skilled staff and resources. This project will investigate the reasons behind the high death rates for these newborns at four major hospitals in Nigeria. The research team will analyze hospital records and interview parents, healthcare workers, hospital leaders, and policy makers to understand barriers to care from multiple perspectives. After identifying the main problems, all involved groups will participate in workshops to develop possible solutions that fit the local context. These may include ways to speed up hospital admission, improve family support, or strengthen hospital systems. The solutions created through this collaboration will be designed to be practical and ready for testing. The aim is to help more Nigerian newborns survive by improving surgical care, and to share strategies that could also help countries facing similar challenges.