The Principal Investigator of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) programme at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, Dr. Bashir Mohammed Farouk, has emphasized that effective tracking of neonatal mortality begins with monitoring pregnancies.
Dr. Farouk made this known when members of the Maternal and Child Health Champions in Bauchi State, under the Advocacy and Implementation of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Innovations in Nigeria project, paid an advocacy visit to the CHAMPS office.
He explained that the programme conducts pregnancy surveillance by enrolling women early in pregnancy and following them through delivery and up to six weeks postpartum.
“After delivery, we continue follow-up on both the mother and the child,” he said.
The principal investigator further revealed that CHAMPS has adopted a scientific method of determining the causes of child deaths without resorting to traditional autopsies.
According to him, the approach—known as minimally invasive investigation—involves the use of needles to collect biological samples from the body, which are then analysed at a molecular level to establish the exact cause of death.
Dr. Farouk noted that the determination process relies on three major sources of information: medical records and clinical history from the health facility where the patient was managed; laboratory findings from samples collected with the consent of families; and field investigations conducted within communities to gather additional context surrounding each death.
“These three data sources are carefully compiled and reviewed by an expert panel, which determines the immediate, underlying and contributing causes of death,” he said.
He added that the goal is to generate both qualitative and evidence-based data to identify the most common and preventable causes of child mortality.
The findings, he explained, are subsequently shared with government, policymakers and other stakeholders to inform policy decisions and guide targeted health interventions.
Dr. Farouk, however, expressed concern that Bauchi State continues to record high rates of child and maternal mortality, noting that its indices remain above the national average and contribute significantly to Nigeria’s overall burden.
He stressed the need for stronger collaboration among government agencies, development partners and the media, rather than isolated interventions.
“Creating platforms for shared dialogue will help align strategies, improve accountability and drive effective policy changes,” he added.
Earlier, the Leader of the Maternal and Child Health Champions, Shamsiyya Bala, said the visit aimed to formally introduce the group and explore opportunities for partnership with CHAMPS.
She explained that the champions work to engage policymakers and healthcare professionals to prioritise and integrate MNCH innovations into the health system.
The project, she noted, is being implemented by the AIM-MNCH Consortium, comprising Pathfinder International Nigeria, the Africa Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP), the Centre for Communication and Social Impact (CCSI), and the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN).
