At least 23 general hospitals and the Lagos University Teach Hospital have begun electronic auditing of deaths involving women and newborns in any period from 154 days of pregnancy to seven days after birth, both considered very vulnerable groups.
The hospitals will use pre-configured electronic tablets supplied by a US firm and procured by MamaYe-Evidence for Action, a maternal health programme funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Heads of the hospitals took delivery of the tablets at handover ceremony in Lagos.
The use of the tablets concludes the transition from paper-based maternal death review (MDR) to Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) and digitisation of the scheme, which started last year.
“The use of these tablets for data capture and submission will definitely provide real time information on MPDSR in Lagos State, improve decision making processes, and ultimately increase the survival of pregnant women and newborn children,” said Dr Jide Idris, Lagos health commissioner.
Dr Jemilade Longe, permanent secretary at Lagos State Health Service Commission, said digitising maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response is “an opportunity we are going to maximize to improve the survival of pregnant women and our babies in Lagos State.”
Federal government adopted the scheme last year, expanding it to include deaths among babies anywhere from 22 weeks of pregnancy to seven days after birth.
But only Lagos runs the scheme yet.
E4A country director, Dr Tunde Segun said, “The process continues; there will be documentation; and lessons will be learnt to improve on the process.”
The facilities implementing MPDSR are Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Badagry General Hospital, Randle Gbaja General Hospital, Harvey Road Health Centre, Shomolu General Hospital, Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, Ajeromi General Hospital, and Orile Agege General Hospital.
Others are Agbowa General Hospital, Apapa General Hospital, Ijede General Hospital, Ketu-Ejirin General Hospital, Ikorodu General Hospital, Isolo General Hospital, Gbagada General Hospital, Amuwo-Odofin General Hospital, Epe General Hospital, Ibeju-Lekki General Hospital, Massey Street Children’s Hospital, Mushin General Hospital, Onikan Health Centre, and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
