I am delighted to share the Wellbeing Foundation Africa’s Project Oscar – Light For Life Program feature editorial story by the BBC Africa: “Pioneering project tackles jaundice in Nigeria,” by Nkechi Onyinyechi Ogbonna, BBC News West Africa Correspondent.

Neonatal jaundice remains a preventable yet significant contributor to neonatal mortality and lifelong disabilities. Addressing it requires timely screening, effective treatment, and strengthened referral systems—especially for newborns of colour, where detection can be more challenging.

The editorial video highlights insights from Nonye Nweke, a mother, advocate and founder of the institutional cerebral palsy caregiver facility at Cerebral Palsy Center Nigeria, alongside Professor Chinyere Ezeaka, a consultant paediatrician at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) working to raise awareness and reduce neonatal injuries caused by jaundice. It showcases how Project Oscar – Light for Life, led by the Wellbeing Foundation Africa with the support of our social impact partner Reckitt Nigeria and sub-partners NEST 360, Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDAR), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and Lagos State Government, is addressing this urgent healthcare challenge.

The Project Oscar – Light For Life: The Neonatal Jaundice Screening, Treatment, and Kernicterus Prevention Program is revolutionising neonatal jaundice care in Nigeria. Our initiative is working to educate over 10,000 mothers on early signs and treatment, screen more than 9,000 infants for neonatal jaundice to ensure timely intervention, and train 300 healthcare workers on specialised Neonatal Jaundice diagnosis and management. Additionally, we are equipping primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities with phototherapy units, transcutaneous bilirubinometers, BiliDx bilirubinometers, and post-discharge Bilistrips to ensure continuous and effective care.

At the heart of this initiative is our commitment to strengthening healthcare linkages from primary to tertiary levels so that no newborn is left behind due to delays or systemic inefficiencies. Together, we are building a future where neonatal jaundice is no longer a threat to survival.

Pioneering project tackles jaundice in Nigeria,
by Nkechi Onyinyechi Ogbonna, BBC News West Africa Correspondent.