The Quality Improvement Initiative for Lactation Care and Feeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, in collaboration with the Switzerland headquartered Lactation focused organisation, Medela Cares, seeks to improve the growth and development of preterm babies by improving access to mother’s own milk while in the neonatal intensive care units.

This week, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa distributed equipment donated by Medela Cares to strategic healthcare facilities in Lagos and Kwara States, and the Federal Capital Territory that are implementing the Wellbeing Foundation Africa-Medela Quality Improvement Initiative for Lactation Care and Feeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This healthcare facilities include Lagos Island Maternity in Lagos State, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and General Hospital Ilorin in Kwara State, and the Maitama General Hospital and Asokoro General Hospital in Abuja, FCT.

This contribution of key tools from Medela Cares is coming on the heels of progress being recorded on the initiative following strategic baseline findings, pre-intervention data collection from the facilities, preparation of standards operating procedures in each facility, and training of trainers on lactation quality improvement in the NICU and the use of the equipment. This donation marks the beginning of the second phase of implementation of lactation community of practice to reach Nigeria’s 378,000 premature and fragile neonates with vital mother’s own milk for proper growth and development. The equipment donated by the WBFA-Medela Cares Collaboration includes Refrigerators, Stabilizers, Symphony Breast Pumps, Symphony Pump Sets, Breast Shields, Symphony Stands, Cords and Protectors, and Breast milk storage bottles.

“Improving the access to mother’s own milk for preterm babies within the neonatal intensive care unit is critical to ensuring their growth and development, and reduce mortality rate significantly. The Wellbeing Foundation Africa and Medela Cares Quality Improvement Initiative for Lactation Care and Feeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, is providing strategic support to select healthcare facilities in Lagos State, Kwara State and the Federal Capital Territory. Currently, in Nigeria 47 per cent of death in children younger than 5 years occur in the first 28 days of life, many of which are preventable and can be addressed through improved nutrition with mother’s milk,” said Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki, the Founder-President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa.

“Together, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and Medela Cares aim to improve the lactation care provided to mothers to improve infant feeding and ultimate health outcomes, and to upskill and enhance lactation and milk knowledge, skills and expertise for neonatal intensive care units, maternity and affiliated healthcare professionals."

"The collaborative program is a redemption of the two organisations respective private sector and civil society commitments to the United Nations Every Woman Every Child Effort in support of the Global Strategy On Women, Children, Adolescent and Reproductive Health."

“Improving the access to mother’s own milk for preterm babies within the neonatal intensive care unit is critical to ensuring their growth and development, and reduce mortality rate significantly. The Wellbeing Foundation Africa and Medela Cares Quality Improvement Initiative for Lactation Care and Feeding in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, is providing strategic support to select healthcare facilities in Lagos State, Kwara State and the Federal Capital Territory. Currently, in Nigeria 47 per cent of death in children younger than 5 years occur in the first 28 days of life, many of which are preventable and can be addressed through improved nutrition with mother’s milk,” said Her Excellency Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki, the Founder-President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa.

“Together, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa and Medela Cares aim to improve the lactation care provided to mothers to improve infant feeding and ultimate health outcomes, and to upskill and enhance lactation and milk knowledge, skills and expertise for neonatal intensive care units, maternity and affiliated healthcare professionals."

"The collaborative program is a redemption of the two organisations respective private sector and civil society commitments to the United Nations Every Woman Every Child Effort in support of the Global Strategy On Women, Children, Adolescent and Reproductive Health."

“This initiative which is being piloted at the Neonatal Intensive Care Units of Lagos Island Maternity in Lagos State, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital and General Hospital Ilorin in Kwara State, and the Maitama General Hospital and Asokoro General Hospital in Abuja, FCT, is expected to improve survival of preterm babies, while engendering a home grown best practice model for proper and sustainable implementation. We have worked with in-facility staff to produce standard operating procedures that will ensure sustainable best practices in the NICU, even when our intervention is concluded,” said Dr. Otun Adewale, National Programs Lead, Wellbeing Foundation Africa. “I commend Medela Cares for their strategic support in the promotion of neonatal health and wellbeing, and I am also happy with the level of commitment from the healthcare facilities and their staff towards this initiative.”

In 2018, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa implemented the Alive and Thrive Infant and Young Child Feeding programme, with support from FHI360 and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to promote exclusive breastfeeding of infants and young children. This programme which reached mothers and medical directors at over 370 health facilities in Lagos and Kaduna States served as a foundation on which this current programme has been built. The Wellbeing Foundation Africa is committed to promoting exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of life and proper complimentary feeding after 6 months, and is educating mothers in our MamaCare360 Antenatal and Postnatal Education and Nutrition Classes across 7 cluster regions of Lagos, Osun, Kwara, Cross River, Sokoto and Kano States and the FCT Abuja on the importance of breastfeeding for babies and their mothers.