In Nigeria where maternal deaths are not uncommon, a hospital in Zaria has implemented the Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) System to analyze and better understand the causes associated with this problem. Already, the country is seeing results as less new mothers are dying due to medical facilities being able to assess what went wrong in a more efficient and proactive manner.

Food demonstrations and education campaigns enroll mothers in the fight against malnutrition and stunting among children. With 30% of children in Nigeria suffering from the effects of malnutrition, according to a 2018 UNICEF study, the state of Kaduna has implemented an emergency campaign. The Emergency Nutrition Action Plan includes home visits as well as proper nutritional and hygiene demonstrations at local medical centers.

In Nigeria, a project known as IntegratE is gaining traction as a means to improve access to and understanding around family planning. Specifically focused on increasing contraceptive coverage for women, this program trains health workers – not just hospitals, clinics and pharmacies – to become Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors and Community Pharmacists in order to make access easier, especially for teenagers and young adults.

A company based in Addis Ababa makes water filtration systems that simultaneously help rural and urban dwellers have access to clean water as well as keep the entire supply chain within Ethiopia. Despite challenges faced by the company to make a profit, the business is determined to keep economic growth centered in local communities rather than outsource production.

Providing mothers with access to health education during and after pregnancy helps reduce child mortality. In Nigeria, the Mamacare program teaches pregnant women about nutrition, hygiene, and infant health at clinics across Lagos State. The program, which is affiliated with WellBeing Foundation Africa, uses a network of midwives, who share experiences, teach lessons, and encourage the women to give birth at clinics.

In Niger State, not all health clinics are treated equally, but one in the Beji village, Bosso Local Government Area (LGA) acts as a model for other healthcare providers to follow. From proactively educating patients about HIV to offering services most rural health clinics fail to offer, the Beji Primary Health Centre (PHC) "provides all the services a PHC is meant to deliver."

Access to medical resources improves the effectiveness of health centers. In the village of Fuka, in Nigeria’s Niger State, NGOs such as the RAiSE Foundation and TY Danjuma Foundation have stepped in to support the local Primary Health Centre (PHC). Multiple initiatives, including home visits and the distribution of mosquito nets, have built relationships with the community; the most successful aspects have been the Mama Kit, given free of charge to pregnant women at the PHC, and the donation of an emergency ambulatory tricycle.

Enrolling community members as Volunteer Community Mobilizers (VCMs) dramatically increases the effectiveness of public health campaigns. In Nigeria, the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency has made progress with regard to immunization rates through its health ambassador program. The VCMs act as links between the localities and the public health services, ensuring that each that child receives vaccinations on schedule. The state has also used VCMs to increase the frequency of home visits and outreach efforts.

Local public health infrastructure makes monitoring and responding to epidemic outbreaks possible. In Nigeria’s Kebbi state, The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) operates Public Health Emergency Operation Centers (PHEOC), which serve as local nodes in the country’s battle against infectious disease. Each PHEOC coordinates with a local committee of leaders in identifying, isolating, and treating cases of infectious disease.

Fistula repair surgery has become routine in the state of Kebbi in Nigeria thanks to the implementation of a health center that has made treatment easier for women to access. The center aims to address both medical and societal causes, by addressing underlying issues and patient-centered health practices.

Raising awareness about sexual abuse helps create space for the support and healing of victims. Using the #ArewaMeToo campaign as a platform, women in Nigeria are drawing attention to the shortcomings of Nigeria’s sexual offenses law. Sexual abuse is pervasive, but social pressure or the fear of dishonoring families often leads to silence. Organizations like the Rayuwa Sexual Assault Referral Centre (RSARC) are also raising awareness and providing support to victims of sexual abuse in Niger State. RSARC provides counseling, medical examinations, and ongoing support to survivors of abuse.

In Katsina, Nigeria, the region has made significant public health strides toward infectious disease prevention and control. The country’s Centre for Disease Control, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, and Emergency Operations Centre are all leading efforts to increase immunization, inform people about prevention and treatment, and increase the infrastructure to treat outbreaks when they occur.

A new three year program is educating, training, and deploying midwives to six northern Nigerian states. This influx of midwives has helped to ensure safe deliveries as well as provide women with perinatal and antenatal care.

In a nation that traditionally does not believe or address that adolescents have sex despite overwhelming data, Nigerian web- and mobile-based platforms are expanding access to quality sexual education for youth. Education as a Vaccine (EVA), a non-governmental organization, in particular has seen success with a set of three apps called LinkUp, Frisky, and DIVA that provide anonymous, accurate, and nonjudgemental sexual and reproductive information/counseling. Since 2007, EVA has received over 900,000 text messages, 28,433 voice calls and 800 emails/web entries.

Through ‘child spacing’ strategies, Nigerian health centers have helped women gain greater autonomy and have increased planning about the size of their family. Nurses discuss child spacing with women during antenatal visits and provide options regarding use of contraception.