In a major boost to maternal and newborn health services in Adamawa State, Grand Challenges Nigeria, in partnership with the Centre for Family Health Initiative (CFHI), has donated and installed a Solar Birth Kit at the Rumde Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) in Yola North Local Government Area. The installation was followed by a comprehensive training session for facility health workers to ensure effective and sustainable use of the equipment.
The Solar Birth Kit designed to provide uninterrupted power for childbirth aims to improve the safety and quality of deliveries, particularly in rural and low-resource settings prone to frequent power outages. The kit provides essential lighting and electricity needed for night-time deliveries, emergency procedures, sterilization, and critical maternal health interventions. Its primary purpose is to strengthen health system resilience, support skilled birth attendance, and reduce preventable maternal and neonatal complications linked to poor power supply.
The handover ceremony brought together key stakeholders including the Community Leader, the Local Government Health Secretary, the Facility Health Manager, the Women Leader, the Ward Development Committee Chairman, and the CFHI project team. Stakeholders collectively emphasized accountability, sustainability, and improved service delivery as central to achieving better health outcomes for mothers and infants in the community.
CFHI facilitated a hands-on training for health workers on the proper use, handling, and routine maintenance of the Solar Birth Kit. This capacity-building session was designed to ensure longevity of the technology and empower the facility team to optimize its benefits for safe delivery services.
Community leaders expressed deep appreciation for the intervention, noting that the Solar Birth Kit will significantly reduce risks during childbirth, especially during power interruptions. They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the facility to maintain the equipment and sustain maternal health gains.
The installation marks a critical step in strengthening primary healthcare delivery in Yola North and advancing efforts to promote safer births in underserved communities.