In 2015, SOGON signed a sub-agreement with USAID & Jhpiego in an effort to combat preventable maternal mortality in Nigeria by increasing the quality and utilization of key, evidence-based interventions. SOGON thus became an implementing partner in introducing the Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) to Kogi and Ebonyi States. The project was implemented between 2015 and 2018.

The Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with the ultimate goal of ending preventable maternal and child deaths within a generation. The program’s strategy was to engage communities and increase health services demand, working toward access equity to quality and respectful care at both the community and facility levels.
SOGON worked to improve the delivery of high-impact maternal and newborn health services in MCSP facilities. Since the inception of SOGON-MCSP partnership in the States, implementing activities focusing on SOGON’s contribution – training, advocacy visits, supervisory visits, volunteer visits and quarterly meetings – were organized towards achieving MCSP’s goal of ending preventable maternal and child deaths. SOGON’s contribution within the project was towards reducing maternal death, majorly through
o Volunteer Obstetrician Scheme (VOS) and
o Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR)
o Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Newborn Care (BEmONC) training

In summary, from October 2016 to July 2018, 46 volunteers of the VOS adopted 64 underserved facilities, paid 281 visits to 52 facilities, and supported 142 frontline healthcare workers to attend to 1689 patients.

Volunteers enrolled in the Volunteer Obstetrician Scheme have contributed to the efforts at saving and improving the health of Nigerian women and their children. Volunteering roles include providing on-the-job training and mentoring for frontline healthcare workers, and antenatal consultations. However, on few occasions, volunteers have also had to take delivery and perform caesarean sections. In addition, volunteers have also contributed to strengthening the referral systems and ultimately, health outcomes in the facilities.

In an effort to prevent avoidable maternal and newborn mortality by increasing the quality and utilization of key, evidence-based interventions, SOGON partnered with MCSP to institutionalize MPDSR in the project supported States (Kogi and Ebonyi). This partnership achieved the following:

• Production and dissemination of MPDSR guidelines and tools
• Trained 281 health workers from 147 facilities on Roles, responsibilities and implementation of MPDSR
• Conducted MPDSR training for 59 supervisory team members (LGA representatives and VOS volunteers) to support MPDSR trained facilities.
• Produced and disseminated MPDSR guidelines and tools
• Supported 7 State steering committee and 6 technical committee meetings,
• Supported the development and advocacy for the passage of the MPDSR Bill
• Supported the Steering committee to carry out supervisory visits to MPDSR facilities
• Supported the Ebonyi State steering committee to develop her MPDSR strategic operational plan for 2018 – 2021.
• Supported the Steering committees to produce a Confidential Enquiry on Maternal and Perinatal Deaths (CEMPDs) report for each State.
• Supported National MPDSR stakeholders to participate in a field-testing workshop to review and adapt the capacity-building materials focused on strengthening the ongoing implementation of MPDSR systems.
• Production and dissemination of the Assessment Report of Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response Implementation in Ebonyi and Kogi States, Nigeria.

To improve the delivery of high-impact maternal and newborn health services, SOGON conducted BEmONC training of 63 healthcare workers (Doctors and Nurses/Midwives) in Kogi and Ebonyi State (33 and 30 respectively) in 2016.  The BEmONC training was conducted as a 5-days training with practical hands on sessions on: Use of Partograph, Episiotomy and Repair, Assisting in Normal Delivery, Manual Removal of Placenta, New born Resuscitation, Vacuum Extraction.