NIGERIA

In March of 2003, the Catholic Secretariat of the Nigerian Catholic Council of Bishops asked MLI to assist the Secretariat’s Health Committee in developing a program to reduce maternal deaths and to prevent mother to child transmission of AIDS.  By way of context, Nigeria has only 2 percent of the world’s population, but experiences 10 percent of the world’s maternal deaths. 

MLI created a program called “Safe Passages: Emergency Obstetrical Care in A Time of AIDS" for the Committee’s annual health conference. With support from the Catholic Medical Mission Board of New York City, the Safe Passages training was given in August 2003 to over 300 maternal health care providers, representing some 280 health care facilities.

MLI continues to work with the CSN. Together we publish the

Safe Passages Bulletin, a continuing education publication on obstetrical care. MLI will present a Safe Passages Phase II program in Nigeria in 2005. We are committed to insuring that in Nigeria, health care institutions are “inspired, educated, and equipped” to provide life-saving emergency obstetrical care.  While there are many obstacles to improved maternal health care in Nigeria – ranging from government corruption to inadequate supplies and medications – we hope to be a catalyst for change so that women are afforded a safe passage -- free of death, free of serious injury, and free of the HIV virus.