How FORM(om) Is Rewiring Maternal Health Systems in Nigeria

Every day, too many Nigerian women face a dangerous journey through pregnancy and childbirth—not because care doesn’t exist, but because access to timely, quality care is still riddled with delays. The FOR M(om) initiative is challenging the status quo by building smarter systems that work better for women, communities, and providers alike.

Understanding Maternal Mortality in Nigeria: The Three Delays

Maternal mortality in Nigeria is driven by delays at critical points in the care journey:

1. Deciding to seek care
2. Reaching a facility
3. Receiving quality care upon arrival

While all three matter, the third delay—care breakdown at the facility level—is especially deadly. A nationwide study of 42 hospitals showed over 1,000 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births were linked to gaps like staff shortages, poor documentation, and lack of essential equipment or blood supply.

FOR M(om)’s Systemwide Response

The project’s approach is not to solve one problem—it’s to fix the system. Three key pillars stand out:

1. Digital Infrastructure That Works for Providers

FOR M(om) has digitized 145 facilities and counting using Helium Health’s maternal-focused EMR tools. This means providers now track patient histories, flag high-risk pregnancies, and coordinate referrals more efficiently—reducing life-threatening delays in care decisions.

Key Insight: Digitization doesn’t just improve data—it improves decision-making. In high-stakes maternal care, that can mean the difference between life and death.

2. Training That Builds Competence and Confidence

With 2691 healthcare workers trained, FOR M(om) is proving that technology only works when people are ready to use it. Training spans respectful maternity care, emergency management, and EMR proficiency—ensuring that providers are both skilled and supported.

Lesson Learned: Digital tools must be paired with continuous capacity building to achieve real improvements in clinical quality.

3. Community Trust as a Lever for Access

More than 86 community engagement sessions have helped change the narrative around maternal health. These aren’t just awareness campaigns—they are spaces for real dialogue between women, families, traditional leaders, and health workers.

Trend: Health-seeking behavior improves when communities understand how systems are changing and feel they have a voice in the process.

Looking Ahead

As FOR M(om) scales to more facilities across Lagos, Kano, and Delta states, it offers a model that others can learn from: build smart systems, train the people who use them, and never underestimate the power of community voice.