By Law Ibitoye
In a move aimed at reducing newborn deaths and strengthening healthcare innovation in Nigeria, the Ekiti State Government has established the Centre for Newborn Health Research and Innovation (CeNHRI), the first dedicated newborn health research and innovation centre in Nigeria and across the African continent.
The centre, located within the premises of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, during a press briefing by the Executive Director of CeNHRI, Dr. Olufunke Bolaji prior to the official commissioning by Governor Oyebanji, Dr. Bolaji described the centre as a groundbreaking institution established to address the alarming rate of neonatal deaths in Nigeria through evidence-based research, simulation-based clinical training, innovation, and policy development.
According to her, CeNHRI was conceived to bridge critical gaps in newborn healthcare delivery and ensure that life-saving interventions are translated into practical solutions across healthcare facilities in Nigeria.
“CeNHRI is not a hospital and it is not a clinic. It is a dedicated research and innovation institution established to generate evidence, build clinical capacity, drive innovation and translate research findings into policies and practices that improve newborn survival,” she said.
Dr. Bolaji explained that Nigeria records more than 300,000 newborn deaths annually within the first 28 days of life, representing approximately 10 per cent of global neonatal deaths. She noted that the country currently ranks second globally in neonatal mortality after India despite having a significantly smaller population.
She revealed that about 75 per cent of newborn deaths are preventable through timely and skilled medical care. “The major causes of newborn deaths in Nigeria include prematurity, birth asphyxia where babies fail to cry or breathe adequately at birth, and severe neonatal infections. Most of these conditions can be prevented or effectively managed when healthcare workers possess the necessary skills, equipment and support systems,” she explained.
Dr. Olufunke Bolaji, the Executive Director is a Consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, and Associate Professor at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti. With over two decades of clinical experience, she currently heads a multidisciplinary team providing Level III newborn care in a 36-bed neonatal unit and has contributed extensively to newborn care policies and programmes at national and regional levels.
As preparations conclude for the official commissioning, expectations remain high that CeNHRI will become a national and continental hub for newborn health research, innovation and capacity building, helping to save thousands of newborn lives annually and contributing significantly to the strengthening of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
According her, CeNHRI will undertake extensive research to identify underlying factors responsible for newborn mortality and develop practical solutions tailored to Nigeria’s healthcare environment.
She said findings from such studies would guide government policies, improve clinical practices, strengthen healthcare systems and foster strategic partnerships with institutions committed to maternal and child health.
Dr. Bolaji stressed that the centre would operate independently and professionally without interference from any individual or political interests. “We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity. The centre has been structured as an independent Company Limited by Guarantee with its own governance framework to ensure sustainability and continuity beyond political administrations,” she said.
The Executive Director further disclosed that CeNHRI was commissioned by the Ekiti State Government under the leadership of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and is hosted by EKSUTH. The centre was established with catalytic funding support from the Gates Foundation and incubated by the ACE Initiative for Social Impact and Development (AISID).
She commended the governor for donating the building that now houses the facility and for demonstrating unwavering commitment to healthcare transformation.
Dr. Bolaji noted that Ekiti State’s investment in newborn health is backed by measurable achievements, citing data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2024 which showed that the state achieved a remarkable 54 per cent reduction in neonatal mortality between 2020 and 2024—one of the most significant improvements recorded by any state in Nigeria during the period.
While appreciating the efforts of the commissioner for health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, Dr Bolaji said the new institution is a state-of-the-art simulation centre dedicated exclusively to neonatal care. According to her, the facility, one of the first of its kind in Nigeria, is equipped with modern clinical equipment, high-fidelity manikins and observation facilities designed to provide realistic training experiences for healthcare workers.
The simulation centre comprises four specialized training zones where doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals can practice life-saving newborn care procedures in a controlled environment before applying them in real-life clinical situations.
“The simulation centre becomes operational immediately after commissioning. Training programmes for healthcare workers across Ekiti State will commence in the third quarter of 2026. This is not merely a ceremonial project; it is a working institution designed to save lives from day one,” she said.
Dr. Bolaji further highlighted the centre’s core functions to include research and evidence generation, scalable innovation, simulation-based training and policy translation. She explained that CeNHRI would generate locally relevant data to guide clinical protocols and government policies, pilot innovative interventions capable of improving newborn outcomes, strengthen healthcare workers’ competencies through simulation training and facilitate the adoption of research findings into national healthcare standards.
The paediatrician and neonatologist emphasized that improving newborn survival is critical to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3.2, which seeks to reduce neonatal mortality to at least 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. Current statistics indicate that Nigeria’s neonatal mortality rate stands at 41 deaths per 1,000 live births, significantly higher than the global average of 17 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Healthcare stakeholders at the briefing described the establishment of CeNHRI as a transformative development capable of positioning Ekiti State as a leading centre for newborn health research and innovation in Africa.
They noted that beyond advancing medical research, the centre would benefit ordinary citizens by improving the quality of newborn care, enhancing healthcare workers’ competencies, reducing preventable infant deaths, attracting international partnerships and supporting evidence-based health policies.
For families, particularly expectant mothers and newborns, the long-term impact is expected to translate into healthier pregnancies, safer deliveries and improved chances of survival for newborn babies.