By Iroyin Yoruba Television
Nigerian healthcare professionals have completed a specialised five-day training programme focused on preventing and managing life-threatening complications during pregnancy and childbirth, as Nigeria continues efforts to reduce preventable maternal deaths and strengthen emergency medical services.
The programme was conducted at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) in Enugu from October 5 to October 9, 2026. It was supported by the Embassy of Israel in Nigeria and led by an Israeli medical delegation headed by Professor Offer Erez.
According to a report published by Voice of Nigeria on October 10, the training brought together doctors, obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwives, clinical educators and other healthcare professionals for instruction in postpartum haemorrhage, obstetric emergencies, thrombosis, haemostasis and emergency response procedures.
The programme included practical skills sessions, clinical simulations and multidisciplinary exercises intended to strengthen healthcare teams' ability to recognise and respond to dangerous complications affecting pregnant women and mothers after childbirth.
A key component was a training-of-trainers approach designed to enable participants to pass the knowledge and practical skills they acquired to colleagues at other healthcare institutions.
The initiative comes amid continuing concerns about maternal mortality in Nigeria, where access to timely emergency obstetric care remains an important public health priority.
The collaboration highlights the role of professional training and international healthcare partnerships in strengthening local capacity. However, the long-term impact will depend on whether the skills acquired during the programme are incorporated into routine clinical practice and supported by adequate staffing, equipment, blood supplies and functioning referral systems.
WHY EMERGENCY MATERNAL CARE MATTERS
Pregnancy and childbirth are normal biological processes, but complications can develop rapidly and sometimes become life-threatening without prompt medical attention.
Some complications can be anticipated through appropriate antenatal care, while others emerge unexpectedly and require immediate assessment and treatment.
Healthcare professionals must be able to identify warning signs, assess the condition of the mother and baby, initiate appropriate interventions and arrange additional assistance when necessary.
Emergency obstetric care involves coordinated work among doctors, midwives, nurses, laboratory personnel, anaesthesia teams and other hospital staff.
The effectiveness of this response depends not only on the knowledge of individual professionals but also on how well the entire team works together.
A delay in recognising a complication, obtaining essential supplies or arranging an appropriate intervention can have serious consequences.
Training programmes that combine clinical knowledge with practical simulations can help healthcare workers rehearse emergency procedures in a controlled environment.
Such exercises allow participants to practise communication, decision-making and coordination before encountering comparable situations in clinical settings.
The Enugu programme was designed to strengthen these capabilities by focusing on complications that can cause severe illness or death if they are not managed promptly.
Although training is essential, it must operate alongside broader improvements in healthcare delivery. Staff need access to functioning equipment, appropriate medicines, laboratory services, blood transfusion facilities and clear clinical protocols.
The challenge for Nigeria is therefore to combine professional development with the resources and systems needed to deliver safe care consistently.
POSTPARTUM HAEMORRHAGE: A MAJOR MATERNAL EMERGENCY
One of the central subjects addressed during the training was postpartum haemorrhage, a condition involving excessive bleeding after childbirth.
Postpartum haemorrhage is a serious obstetric emergency because substantial blood loss can occur over a short period and lead to shock, organ damage or death if treatment is delayed.
The condition may develop after vaginal delivery or a caesarean section. Its causes can include problems with the uterus contracting after delivery, retained placental tissue, injuries to the birth canal and disorders affecting blood clotting.
The precise cause determines the treatment required, which is why rapid clinical assessment is important.
Healthcare professionals must be able to recognise significant bleeding, evaluate the mother's condition and initiate the appropriate response.
Management may involve medicines to help the uterus contract, measures to control bleeding, intravenous fluids, blood transfusion and procedures to identify or treat the underlying cause.
In severe cases, surgery or additional specialist intervention may be necessary.
The appropriate response depends on the clinical circumstances and the resources available.
Training in postpartum haemorrhage management can help professionals understand the importance of acting quickly, following established protocols and communicating clearly with colleagues.
It can also reinforce the need for facilities to prepare for emergencies before they occur.
Hospitals providing maternity services need systems for obtaining blood products when indicated, accessing emergency equipment and ensuring that staff know their responsibilities during a critical event.
The training in Enugu included instruction in haemorrhage management, maternal stabilisation and blood transfusion protocols.
These areas are closely connected because controlling bleeding may require several interventions to be initiated in a coordinated manner.
Improving the ability of healthcare teams to recognise and respond to postpartum haemorrhage is an important component of efforts to reduce preventable maternal deaths.
THE DANGER OF DELAYED EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Obstetric emergencies can become more difficult to manage when recognition, referral or treatment is delayed.
In some cases, a pregnant woman may develop symptoms that require urgent evaluation but encounter difficulties reaching a suitable healthcare facility.
Transport problems, financial constraints, distance, limited awareness of warning signs and uncertainty about where to seek care can all affect access to emergency services.
Within healthcare facilities, delays can also occur if staff are unavailable, essential supplies are missing or communication between departments is ineffective.
These challenges demonstrate why maternal health cannot be improved through medical knowledge alone.
A functioning emergency response requires a connected system in which patients can obtain timely assessment, receive appropriate treatment and access specialist care when needed.
Healthcare professionals need clear procedures for escalating emergencies and coordinating their response.
Hospitals also require arrangements for obtaining laboratory results, blood products, medicines and additional clinical support without avoidable delays.
Training exercises can help staff identify weaknesses in their response systems and practise ways to address them.
For example, simulated emergencies can test whether team members recognise a deteriorating patient, communicate critical information and begin appropriate interventions.
They can also help clarify responsibilities among different professionals working together.
The Enugu programme's emphasis on coordinated clinical decision-making reflects the importance of treating maternal emergencies as team-based challenges rather than tasks for one healthcare worker alone.
However, simulation training must be reinforced through regular practice, supervision and adequate resources to translate learning into improved patient care.
TRAINING IN MATERNAL STABILISATION
Maternal stabilisation is another important area of emergency care.
When a pregnant woman or a mother who has recently delivered becomes seriously ill, healthcare professionals must assess her condition and take appropriate steps to support vital body functions while addressing the underlying problem.
Depending on the circumstances, this may involve evaluating breathing and circulation, monitoring vital signs, controlling bleeding, administering prescribed treatment and arranging urgent specialist care.
The specific interventions required depend on the cause and severity of the emergency.
For healthcare teams, the ability to prioritise actions is particularly important when several problems are occurring at once.
A patient experiencing severe bleeding, for example, may require simultaneous assessment, treatment to control the source of blood loss, monitoring and preparation for possible transfusion.
Good communication helps team members understand what has been done, what remains necessary and which additional resources should be mobilised.
The training programme included maternal stabilisation as part of its practical instruction.
By rehearsing emergency procedures, participants could strengthen their understanding of how individual interventions fit into a coordinated response.
Such preparation is particularly valuable in busy hospitals, where staff may need to manage several patients while responding to sudden deterioration in one person's condition.
The broader objective is to help healthcare professionals recognise emergencies early and deliver appropriate care in a timely, organised manner.
BLOOD TRANSFUSION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HAEMOSTASIS
The training also addressed blood transfusion protocols and haemostasis.
Haemostasis refers to the body's processes for stopping bleeding. These processes involve blood vessels, platelets and clotting factors working together to form a stable clot when needed.
Problems with these processes can contribute to excessive bleeding or complicate the management of an obstetric emergency.
Understanding haemostasis helps healthcare professionals assess bleeding disorders and consider the clinical factors that may influence treatment.
Blood transfusion can be lifesaving for patients who have lost substantial amounts of blood, but it must be managed carefully.
Healthcare facilities need appropriate systems for determining when transfusion is necessary, identifying compatible blood products, checking patient information and monitoring patients during and after the procedure.
Safe transfusion also depends on reliable blood services and the availability of suitable supplies.
In an emergency, delays in obtaining blood can make an already difficult situation more dangerous.
This is why maternal emergency preparedness includes planning for blood availability and establishing clear communication between clinical teams and laboratory or transfusion services.
The Enugu training's coverage of transfusion protocols and haemostasis reflects the complex nature of managing severe obstetric bleeding.
Different clinical problems may require different interventions, and healthcare professionals must be able to assess the situation and follow appropriate protocols.
Maintaining these capabilities requires continuous education, access to current clinical guidance and regular review of emergency procedures.
THROMBOSIS AND OTHER OBSTETRIC COMPLICATIONS
Thrombosis was another subject covered during the programme.
Thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms within a blood vessel and obstructs blood flow. Depending on where the clot develops and whether it travels to another part of the body, it can cause serious complications.
Pregnancy and the period following childbirth are associated with changes in the body's clotting system that can increase the risk of certain clot-related conditions.
One serious complication is venous thromboembolism, which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
Deep vein thrombosis usually involves a clot in a deep vein, often in the leg. Pulmonary embolism occurs when a clot blocks blood flow in the lungs and can be life-threatening.
Symptoms vary, and suspected thrombosis requires prompt medical assessment.
Healthcare professionals must consider individual risk factors and use appropriate clinical evaluation to determine whether further testing or treatment is necessary.
Preventive measures may be appropriate for some patients, depending on their circumstances and clinical guidance.
The subject's inclusion in the Enugu programme highlights the range of risks healthcare teams may need to consider during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Maternal emergency care is not limited to managing bleeding. It also requires awareness of conditions affecting circulation, breathing and other vital functions.
Continued professional education can help healthcare workers recognise these risks and understand the importance of timely assessment.
PRACTICAL SIMULATIONS AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY TRAINING
According to Voice of Nigeria, the five-day programme included evidence-based clinical instruction, high-fidelity simulations, practical skills sessions and multidisciplinary emergency exercises.
Simulation-based training allows healthcare professionals to practise clinical scenarios without exposing actual patients to the risks associated with an unfamiliar procedure or an untested team response.
Exercises can be designed to represent different emergency situations, allowing participants to practise recognising warning signs, prioritising actions and communicating with colleagues.
High-fidelity simulations may use advanced equipment or realistic scenarios to reproduce important features of clinical emergencies.
However, the value of a simulation depends on how it is designed, facilitated and reviewed.
Participants need opportunities to discuss what happened, identify strengths and weaknesses and understand how the lessons apply to real clinical practice.
Multidisciplinary exercises are particularly useful because maternal emergencies often require professionals from several departments to work together.
A doctor, midwife, laboratory worker and anaesthesia team may each have different responsibilities during a critical event.
If communication is poor, important information may be delayed or tasks may be duplicated or overlooked.
Training that encourages clear roles and coordinated action can help teams improve their response.
The programme's combination of instruction and practical exercises was intended to strengthen the connection between clinical knowledge and emergency management.
To sustain these benefits, participating institutions may need to organise further exercises and incorporate lessons into routine staff development.
THE TRAINING-OF-TRAINERS APPROACH
A notable component of the programme was its training-of-trainers model.
Under this approach, selected participants develop the knowledge and skills needed to teach other healthcare workers.
The objective is to extend the benefits of an initial training programme beyond the professionals who attend it directly.
This approach can be particularly useful in large healthcare systems where many facilities need to strengthen their emergency response capabilities.
If trained participants share their knowledge through structured sessions, mentoring and practical exercises, the original programme may influence a wider group of healthcare workers.
However, successful knowledge transfer requires careful planning.
Trainers need suitable educational materials, time to conduct sessions and institutional support to organise follow-up activities.
They must also ensure that the information being shared remains consistent with current clinical guidance.
Some procedures require hands-on practice and supervision, meaning that written materials or classroom presentations alone may not be sufficient.
Healthcare institutions should therefore consider how training will be delivered, assessed and reinforced.
The Enugu programme's training-of-trainers component was intended to help participants extend their skills to colleagues at other institutions.
If supported by effective follow-up, this model could help strengthen local capacity and reduce dependence on occasional external training visits.
The long-term outcome will depend on whether participants receive opportunities and resources to carry out the additional training.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING
The programme was supported by the Embassy of Israel in Nigeria and led by a medical delegation headed by Professor Offer Erez.
Israel's Chargé d'Affaires in Nigeria, Racheli Stavissky, said the cooperation reflected a commitment to supporting Nigeria's healthcare development through medical expertise, innovation and professional capacity building.
She emphasised the importance of ensuring that mothers have access to safe childbirth and quality emergency medical care.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah welcomed the delegation and highlighted the importance of continuous professional development, international expertise and modern approaches to patient care.
International healthcare partnerships can create opportunities for professional exchange and the sharing of specialised knowledge.
They can also help healthcare institutions identify training needs and strengthen relationships with medical professionals from other countries.
However, international cooperation is most useful when it builds sustainable local capacity rather than depending exclusively on visiting specialists.
Training programmes should reflect the needs of the healthcare system in which participants work and take account of the resources available in local facilities.
Participants also need opportunities to apply their learning after a programme ends.
The training-of-trainers approach is one way to support this objective by encouraging the transfer of knowledge to additional healthcare workers.
Sustained cooperation may also involve professional exchanges, institutional partnerships, educational resources and continued assessment of training needs.
The Enugu programme illustrates how international collaboration can contribute to professional development while leaving the responsibility for ongoing implementation with local healthcare institutions and authorities.
THE BROADER CHALLENGE OF MATERNAL HEALTH IN NIGERIA
Maternal mortality remains an important public health challenge in Nigeria.
Preventable deaths can result from complications such as severe bleeding, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, infections and other conditions requiring timely medical intervention.
The risks are influenced by several factors, including access to antenatal care, the availability of skilled birth attendants, the quality of emergency obstetric services and the ability to obtain specialist treatment when necessary.
Social and economic conditions can also influence access to care.
Some women may face difficulties paying for transport or treatment, while others live far from facilities equipped to manage serious complications.
In certain circumstances, women may delay seeking care because they do not recognise the seriousness of their symptoms or are uncertain about where to obtain assistance.
Improving maternal health therefore requires a broad response.
Healthcare workers need appropriate clinical skills, but they also require functioning facilities, essential medicines, equipment, blood supplies and reliable referral systems.
Public education can help women and families understand the importance of antenatal appointments and seeking prompt medical attention when concerning symptoms arise.
Healthcare administrators must also ensure that facilities are adequately staffed and able to respond to emergencies.
Training programmes are one part of this larger effort.
The Enugu initiative addresses an important element of the challenge by focusing on the clinical management of life-threatening maternal complications.
Its potential contribution will depend on how effectively participating professionals apply their skills and how well their institutions support emergency care.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE TRAINING?
The completion of a five-day programme marks the beginning of the next stage: applying the knowledge acquired to clinical practice and ensuring that it reaches additional healthcare workers.
Participating institutions can support this process by reviewing their emergency procedures, identifying training gaps and scheduling further practical exercises.
They can also consider whether staff have access to the equipment and supplies needed to follow the clinical protocols covered during the programme.
The training-of-trainers model may help participants organise sessions for colleagues, but such activities require time, resources and administrative support.
Hospitals can also review how maternal emergencies are documented and assess whether lessons from clinical incidents can inform future staff development.
The purpose of such reviews should be to identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen patient safety.
The embassy and Nigerian institutions may also explore further cooperation in medical education and healthcare capacity development, as indicated during the programme.
However, any future activities will depend on formal arrangements and the priorities identified by the relevant organisations.
The immediate task is to ensure that the training produces practical benefits beyond the five-day event.
CONCLUSION
The specialised maternal emergency training conducted at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu represents an effort to strengthen the skills of Nigerian healthcare professionals managing dangerous complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Supported by the Embassy of Israel and led by Professor Offer Erez, the programme covered postpartum haemorrhage, obstetric emergencies, thrombosis, haemostasis, maternal stabilisation and blood transfusion procedures.
Its use of clinical simulations, practical exercises and multidisciplinary training reflects the importance of preparing healthcare teams to respond quickly and effectively when complications arise.
The training-of-trainers component also offers a possible pathway for extending the programme's benefits to additional healthcare institutions.
Nevertheless, reducing preventable maternal deaths requires more than training alone. Healthcare facilities must have adequate staff, equipment, medicines, blood supplies and referral arrangements to support appropriate emergency care.
The long-term value of the initiative will depend on how successfully participants apply their knowledge and share it with colleagues.
By combining professional development with sustained investment in healthcare services, Nigeria can strengthen its capacity to manage maternal emergencies and improve the prospects of safer childbirth for women and their families.