ACEPHAP, Partner Train 50 Surgical Teams for Safer C-Sections in Kano
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO – The Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP), in partnership with the Global Surgery Foundation, has trained no fewer than 50 surgical teams under its Cesarean Section Safe Project to improve the safety of C-sections in Kano State.
The Director of ACEPHAP, Prof. Hadiza Shehu Galadanci who spoke at the session said, “It is very important to make cesarean section safe in Kano State, as global estimates show that women in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria face 50 to 100 times higher risks of complications during cesarean deliveries.”
Prof. Galadanci stated that the training involved hands-on practical sessions using mannequins to ensure participants gained both knowledge and skills.
She emphasized that the complete and correct use of the surgical safety checklist enhances teamwork, communication, and patient safety during cesarean deliveries.
Prof. Hadiza Shehu Galadanci, however expressed satisfaction with the quality and conduct of the training.
The trained surgical teams comprise 50 medical personnel across 10 tertiary and secondary facilities through the hub-and-spoke model adopted for the project.
According to a publication by Nusaiba Ibrahim Na’abba, the Content Manager at ACEPHAP, the trained teams include surgeons, anaesthetic surgeons, nurse anaesthetists, circulating nurses, assistant surgeons, peri-operative nurses, and midwives.
The publication added that the hub-and-spoke approach covers 10 facilities which includes
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) as the hub, with Kura General Hospital, Wudil General Hospital, Dawakin Kudu, and Nuhu Bamalli Hospital as its spokes.
Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital (MAWTH) as the hub, with Waziri Gidado General Hospital, Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital, Sir Muhammad Sunusi Hospital, and Sabo Bakin Zuwo Hospital as its spokes.
The training covered CS standardization, infection prevention bundles, correct and complete use of the surgical safety checklist for CS, active management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and eclampsia, surgical site infection treatment, and management of other complications. The goal is to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in the state.
Importantly, the initiative ensures sustainability as trained personnel now regarded as _”champions”_ will cascade the training to other healthcare providers across secondary facilities. Future sessions will be delivered physically in the respective hospitals and through quarterly mentorship programs.
In a speech earlier, Dr. John Varallo, obstetrician-gynecologist and team lead of the Women’s Health Program at the Global Surgery Foundation, highlighted that the project’s focus is to improve access to safe, timely, and respectful care for all women.
He stressed that beyond technical expertise, non-technical skills such as teamwork and communication are critical for safe cesarean deliveries.
Dr. Varallo praised the participants for their enthusiasm, commitment to learning, and readiness to transfer their knowledge to others, describing the training as potentially transformational for mothers and children in Kano State.
In their own remarks, during the closing sessions of the training, the surgical teams expressed satisfaction with the sessions, applauding ACEPHAP and the Global Surgery Foundation for engaging them in what they described as a life-saving and transformational journey that equips them with the right skills to save more mothers and children.