Nigeria continues to bear one of the world’s highest burdens of newborn deaths, making sustained investments in quality newborn care more urgent than ever. Against this backdrop, TAConnect participated in the 2026 Annual Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Society of Neonatal Medicine (NISONM) in Port Harcourt, joining leading neonatal specialists, policymakers, development partners, researchers, and frontline healthcare professionals to explore practical solutions for improving newborn survival across the country.
Held under the theme “Closing the Gaps Towards Achieving the Newborn-related SDG Targets: Ending Nigeria’s Preventable Newborn Deaths,” the conference provided a valuable platform for advancing evidence-based approaches to newborn care while strengthening collaboration among institutions working to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Before the main conference, TAConnect participated in the intensive Neonatal Resuscitation training, where healthcare providers strengthened their competencies in life-saving interventions immediately after birth. Through simulation-based learning and practical skills sessions, participants refreshed critical knowledge on newborn resuscitation, ventilation, post-resuscitation care, care for preterm babies, and emergency response protocols, skills that remain essential for reducing preventable neonatal mortality in resource-constrained settings.
Throughout the scientific sessions, one message resonated consistently: achieving the Sustainable Development Goal targets for newborn survival will require stronger health systems, sustained investments in frontline health workers, quality improvement, and greater integration of newborn care into national health financing and service delivery frameworks.
The conference showcased several promising innovations that are reshaping newborn care in Nigeria. Presentations highlighted advances in digital health solutions that support adherence to clinical protocols, expansion of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), improved respiratory support for small and sick newborns, and the growing use of real-time data systems to strengthen clinical decision-making and quality improvement.
Discussions led by the Federal Ministry of Health reinforced ongoing national efforts to implement the Nigeria Every Newborn Action Plan, strengthen newborn commodity availability, integrate Small and Sick Newborn Care into routine health information systems, and expand newborn services through strategic partnerships.
Particularly noteworthy were presentations from UNICEF, NEST360, and Laerdal Global Health, which demonstrated how coordinated investments in specialized newborn units, simulation-based learning, quality data systems, and continuous mentorship are producing measurable improvements in neonatal outcomes across several states. Their experiences underscored the importance of combining infrastructure, workforce capacity, data use, and sustainable quality improvement approaches to achieve lasting impact.
The conference also highlighted an often-overlooked dimension of newborn survival: community engagement. Experts emphasized that while considerable progress has been made within health facilities, many newborn deaths still occur before families access skilled care. Strengthening community awareness, improving care-seeking behaviour, enhancing referral systems, and building stronger links between households and health facilities were identified as critical priorities for accelerating progress.
For TAConnect, participation in NISONM 2026 aligns closely with its commitment to strengthening Primary Healthcare systems through context-specific technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge exchange. The conference provided valuable opportunities to engage with national experts, development partners, and implementing organizations while identifying emerging innovations and evidence that can inform TAConnect’s support to state governments.
As Nigeria intensifies efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality, platforms such as the NISONM Conference continue to play a vital role in translating evidence into practice, fostering collaboration, and accelerating the adoption of proven interventions. TAConnect remains committed to leveraging these insights to support stronger health systems that deliver quality care for every mother and every newborn.
