Law Ibitoye
The Ekiti State Government has launched the Centre for Newborn Health Research and Innovation (CeNHRI) at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, as part of efforts to reduce neonatal mortality and advance healthcare innovation in Nigeria
The centre, established with catalytic funding from the Gates Foundation and incubated by the ACE Initiative for Social Impact and Development, is designed to serve as a leading African hub for newborn health research, innovation, policy engagement, capacity building, and simulation-based clinical training.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony on Friday, the Ekiti state governor, Biodun Oyebanji described the facility as a landmark investment in healthcare delivery, scientific advancement, and newborn survival in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to the governor, the establishment of CeNHRI demonstrates a deliberate commitment to addressing preventable newborn deaths through evidence-based research, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
Oyebanji commended the Gates Foundation and AISID for their support and vision in bringing the project to reality, noting that the initiative align with his administration’s commitment to improving healthcare services and building a healthier society.
He explained that the centre would focus on five strategic areas: newborn health research, innovation translation, capacity building, policy engagement, and simulation-based clinical training.
The governor also highlighted the centre’s state-of-the-art neonatal simulation facility, described as the first of its kind in the region, which will provide healthcare professionals with opportunities to acquire and refine life-saving clinical skills in a controlled learning environment.
Representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Director of Reproductive Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Samuel Oyeniyi, described the centre as a symbol of Nigeria’s commitment to improving newborn survival through innovation and locally driven solutions
He noted that Nigeria remains among countries with the highest burden of newborn mortality, recording an estimated neonatal mortality rate of 41 deaths per 1,000 live births.
According to him, the centre’s emphasis on implementation science, digital innovation, capacity building, and policy translation aligns with the Federal Government’s ongoing healthcare reforms and efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
“The establishment of this centre reflects the growing recognition that Nigeria must not only consume global health knowledge; we must also produce it,” he said.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of CeNHRI and Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, said the centre reflects the state government’s commitment to building strong and sustainable health institutions.
According to him, newborn survival remains one of the most urgent public health concerns in Nigeria and tackling the challenge requires investments in evidence generation, workforce development, quality improvement and stronger health systems.
Also, Executive Director of CeNHRI, Dr. Olufunke Bolaji, said the centre was established to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and clinical practice in newborn care. She expressed concern that thousands of Nigerian newborns continue to die annually from preventable causes despite the availability of proven interventions
.
Dr .Olufunke explained that the institution would focus on generating locally relevant evidence, translating research findings into practical healthcare solutions, strengthening health systems, and fostering strategic partnerships.
“We believe newborn survival cannot depend on commitment alone. It must be supported by systems, data, skills, and institutions that are built to last,” she stated. She added that the centre would serve as training ground for key medicals.
Also speaking, Deputy Country Director of the Gates Foundation, Dr. Caroline Apiah, described the launch as the birth of an institution rather than merely the opening of a facility.
She noted that institutions create sustainable impact by building national capacity and strengthening healthcare systems beyond the lifespan of individual projects and funding cycles.
Apiah revealed that Nigeria records between 250,000 and 300,000 newborn deaths annually, many of which are preventable, adding that the foundation was encouraged by CeNHRI’s focus on simulation-based training and local evidence generation to support better healthcare delivery and policymaking.
The Chief Medical Director of EKSUTH, Prof. Kayode Olabanji, said the centre would serve as a bridge between scientific discovery and practical healthcare delivery. He added that the establishment of CeNHRI further strengthens EKSUTH’s reputation as a centre of excellence in healthcare service delivery, training, and research.
The launch of the centre is expected to contribute significantly to efforts aimed at reducing newborn deaths, improving maternal and child health outcomes, and advancing healthcare research and innovation in Nigeria and across the African continent.
Also speaking, the representative of World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Mary Brantuo described the centre as a major investment in human capital and sustainable development.
Brantuo said healthy newborns grow into healthy children and productive adults, stressing that investments in newborn health are critical to national development, urged stakeholders to leverage the centre as a platform for translating commitments into action and innovation into measurable impact.
