LVASA-SRS Dissemination Meeting-Event Highlights
Theme: Driving Evidence-Based Action to End Preventable Maternal and Perinatal Death
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Dates: July 7–8, 2025
The LVASA-SRS Dissemination Meeting, hosted by the Centre for Clinical Trials Research and Implementation Science (CCTRIS) in partnership with the Lagos State Government, brought together policymakers, researchers, health workers, community leaders, and development partners for two days of knowledge translation and policy engagement.
It was more than an event, it was a collective statement: no maternal or perinatal death should ever go uncounted again.
The Marketplace of Ideas
Day 1 came alive with a Technical Marketplace, an interactive session where participants moved through eight booths that showcased how the LVASA-SRS project worked to achieve its objectives.
- Sampling and EA selection (paper and digital maps)
- Verbal and social autopsy tools
- Tool adaptation and translation
- Use of KoboToolbox for data collection
- Dashboard for live MMR reporting
- Data collectors field experiences and grief management
- Data Analysis: Deployment of InterVA-5+ and codification of maternal deaths
- Physician codification of maternal deaths
Four Major Outputs of LVASA-SRS
The project delivered three clear, outcomes that were celebrated at the meeting:
Establishing the Sample Registration System (SRS) in Lagos State, Nigeria: From field-based strategies to digital innovations, the project laid a strong groundwork for integrating community-based maternal and perinatal death surveillance into the public health infrastructure of Lagos State.
- Generating maternal health data to inform public health decision-making: The project focused on leveraging the SRS platform to build, systematically capture, analyze, and track maternal and perinatal health data – a strong, evidence-based foundation for maternal health action in Lagos State
- Determined and directed interventions that are to be focused on the main cause of maternal deaths: The project identified the leading causes of maternal deaths and hosted a knowledge translation and policy engagement meeting. A policy brief was presented during the meeting to the Lagos State Government
Who Was in the Room
The event drew a wide range of voices:
- Government leaders — from state ministries to the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board.
- Researchers and technical experts — who built and refined LVASA-SRS.
- Frontline workers and community leaders — ensuring that the voices of families and communities were heard.
- Media partners like Arise TV — amplifying Lagos’ story nationwide.
The diversity of attendance underscored a central truth: preventing maternal and perinatal deaths requires everyone’s commitment from families to policymakers.
Why It Mattered
The LVASA-SRS Dissemination Meeting was not simply a presentation of findings — it was a call to collective action. Key presentations linked the epidemiological data to actionable solutions.
that Inspired
Across both days, speakers grounded the data in urgency, hope, and action:
The Governor’s Voice
One of the most powerful moments came when Prof. Akinola, Commissioner for Health, delivered the speech on behalf of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The Governor praised the Gates Foundation’s support, commended the technical teams, and committed Lagos to sustaining and expanding LVASA-SRS. He declared:
- “Every life is valuable, and each death provides important lessons that help us protect others.”
- “Data is a valuable resource, but insight is what powers meaningful action.”
He pledged that Lagos would embed LVASA-SRS into its health systems, setting a model for Nigeria and beyond.
- Prof. Bosede Afolabi, Principal Investigator, reminded all that “every maternal death is more than a statistic — it is a story that should guide our policies.”
- Prof. Kikelomo Wright traced Lagos’ earlier efforts at measuring maternal mortality, showing how LVASA-SRS offers a turning point.
- Dr. Aduragbemi Banke-Thomas highlighted that accurate data is power: “It reveals the true picture and the gaps we must close.”
- Dr. Adeyemi Okunowo and Dr. Adedoyin Ogunyemi brought fieldwork to life, describing both the scientific tools and the lived experiences behind every data point.
- Dr. Brenda Isikekpei and Prof. Akinola spoke on the importance of community participation and legal frameworks.
As the event closed, one message echoed through the hall:
👉 No maternal or perinatal death in Lagos should ever remain invisible again.