Nigerian Scientists Slash Maternal Deaths with Groundbreaking MamaBase Model

Nigerian Scientists Slash Maternal Deaths with Groundbreaking MamaBase Model

In a major breakthrough for maternal healthcare, Nigerian scientists at the Maternal and Reproductive Health (MRH) Collective have developed an innovative model that dramatically reduces maternal mortality among poor and vulnerable women.

The initiative, named MamaBase, was first piloted in Lagos in 2023 and the results have been nothing short of remarkable. Designed around a data-driven framework known as M.I.L.E.S.—Mapping, Identifying, Linking, Educating, and Supporting—the programme connects pregnant women in underserved communities to critical antenatal and delivery care services while providing continuous monitoring throughout pregnancy and postpartum.

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 79,500 Nigerian women died from childbirth-related causes in 2023, accounting for nearly 29% of global maternal deaths. MamaBase aims to reverse this trend through targeted, evidence-based interventions.

“Our model is simple but powerful,” said Prof. Bosede Afolabi, Founder and Chairman of MRH Collective. “We start with data, and we stay with the woman through pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. And it works.”

Since its October 2023 launch, the programme has enrolled 7,883 women in Lagos. Results from the pilot show a 99.9% survival rate, a stark contrast to Nigeria’s national maternal mortality rate of 1,047 deaths per 100,000 live births. Over 80% of MamaBase participants delivered in health facilities with skilled birth attendants and 60% met the benchmark of four or more antenatal visits.

These efforts led to a maternal mortality rate of just 123 per 100,000 live births—nearly ten times lower than the national average.

Encouraged by its success, MRH Collective is expanding MamaBase to 12 more local government areas in Lagos and launching a large-scale rollout in Kaduna State,  one of Nigeria’s hardest-hit regions, with the goal of reaching 10,000 additional women by 2026.

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“We are proving that maternal deaths in Nigeria are not inevitable,” said Professor Ngozi Orazulike, MRH Board member and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Port Harcourt. “With data, community health systems and targeted support, we can save thousands of lives.”

Dr Jumoke Oke, CEO of MRH Collective, added, “We now have the evidence. What we need is support to scale this lifesaving model nationwide.”

With MamaBase gaining momentum, MRH Collective is calling on government bodies, NGOs and international partners to back the nationwide scale-up of the model—potentially marking a turning point in Nigeria’s maternal health crisis.