Israel Trains Nigerian Health Workers on Maternal Emergency Care

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria has trained Nigerian healthcare professionals in life-saving maternal emergency care as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s response to childbirth-related complications and reduce preventable maternal deaths.

The five-day clinical training programme, led by Israeli medical specialist, Professor Offer Erez, was held at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, from October 5 to 9, 2026.

The programme brought together doctors, obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwives, professors, clinical lecturers and other healthcare professionals for specialised instruction in postpartum haemorrhage (PPH), obstetric emergencies, thrombosis, haemostasis and emergency response protocols.

Postpartum haemorrhage, a condition involving excessive bleeding after childbirth, remains a major cause of maternal deaths worldwide. The embassy cited World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates indicating that Nigeria records about 75,000 maternal deaths annually, underscoring the need to improve emergency obstetric care and access to skilled medical intervention.

Speaking during her official visit to Enugu State, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Israel in Nigeria, Ms Racheli Stavissky, reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s healthcare development through medical expertise, innovation and professional capacity building.

She said every mother deserved access to safe childbirth and quality emergency medical care, adding that behind every maternal mortality statistic was a woman, a family and a community.

Stavissky said Israel was proud to share its medical expertise with Nigerian healthcare professionals, noting that equipping doctors, midwives and medical educators with advanced clinical skills could save lives beyond the duration of the training.

She also expressed the embassy’s readiness to expand cooperation with UNTH in maternal healthcare, medical education and emergency medicine.

The training combined evidence-based clinical instruction, high-fidelity medical simulations, practical sessions and multidisciplinary emergency response exercises.

Participants received specialised instruction in the early detection and management of obstetric haemorrhage, maternal stabilisation, haemostatic resuscitation, emergency blood transfusion protocols and coordinated clinical decision-making.

A major component of the programme was the Training-of-Trainers approach, designed to equip Nigerian healthcare professionals with the knowledge and practical skills to train their colleagues and extend improved emergency obstetric care to other healthcare institutions.

Erez commended the commitment and professionalism of Nigerian healthcare workers, describing the collaborative learning environment at UNTH as encouraging.

He said the training was designed to strengthen healthcare teams’ ability to recognise and manage life-threatening obstetric complications through practical simulations, evidence-based haemorrhage management and coordinated emergency response.

“Our goal is to bridge the gap between clinical knowledge and emergency response while empowering Nigerian doctors, midwives and medical educators to transfer these skills to others,” he said.

Erez added that building local capacity to train other healthcare professionals was essential to sustaining the benefits of the programme and improving maternal health outcomes.

The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, who welcomed the Israeli delegation, described the initiative as an important contribution to healthcare development in the state.

Mbah said strengthening the healthcare system required more than investment in infrastructure, stressing the importance of continuous professional development, access to international expertise and modern approaches to patient care.

He expressed appreciation to the Embassy of Israel and the medical team, saying the specialised training would enhance the capacity of healthcare professionals to respond to critical maternal emergencies.

The governor also expressed the state government’s interest in expanding cooperation in medical education, healthcare innovation and institutional capacity development.

The embassy said it remained committed to partnerships aimed at strengthening institutions, improving healthcare delivery and promoting the wellbeing of communities across Nigeria.