Distinguished guests, healthcare professionals, advocates, and partners. It is an honour to address you today on World Prematurity Day, a day where we pause to reflect on the global impact of preterm births and renew our commitment to ensuring that every baby born too soon has access to quality care, no matter where they are born.

Today’s theme, “Over 13 Million Babies Born Too Soon Every Year: Access to Quality Care Everywhere,” is a profound call to action. Preterm birth is the world’s leading cause of death in children under five, with Nigeria facing one of the highest burdens of preterm births globally. Every year, over 300,000 babies are born prematurely in Nigeria alone. They face a range of health challenges, from respiratory issues and infections to severe complications like neonatal jaundice, which, if left untreated, can result in permanent neurological damage, including kernicterus, a preventable and debilitating condition. 

Through the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, our mission has always been to bridge the gaps in maternal and child healthcare, ensuring that both mothers and babies have the support they need at every critical stage. This mission is close to my heart, stemming from my personal experience as a mother who delivered three of my four children prematurely. I understand the challenges, the fears, and the hopes that come with preterm birth, and I am deeply committed to ensuring that families facing these challenges have access to the highest quality of care.

A cornerstone of our efforts is Project Oscar, a Neonatal Jaundice And Kernicterus Prevention Detection And Treatment  Initiative In Lagos State Primary, Secondary And Tertiary Health Care Facilities, launched in collaboration with our dedicated social impact partner, Reckitt. Initially piloted in Vietnam, Project Oscar was created by youth disability advocate Oscar Anderson to tackle the urgent issue of neonatal jaundice. Following its success, Project Oscar has expanded into Nigeria, where it aims to bring life-saving interventions for jaundice to preterm and full-term newborns alike, especially in underserved communities. 

In Nigeria, 60% of term newborns and 80% of preterm infants develop jaundice within their first week. While mild in many cases, jaundice can quickly become severe and life-threatening, particularly for preterm babies. Recognising the urgency of this situation, Project Oscar is committed to increasing early detection and providing timely access to phototherapy and other treatments that prevent the progression of jaundice to dangerous levels. 

Through Project Oscar, we work closely with healthcare providers and communities to raise awareness about neonatal jaundice, empowering parents to recognise early warning signs and access timely medical support. We have implemented a rigorous global standard of training protocol for frontline healthcare workers to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to identify, monitor, and treat jaundice effectively. Our WBFA team has also focused on developing educational materials tailored to local languages and cultural contexts, making it easier for communities to understand and act on this critical information.

Our social impact partnership with Reckitt is vital in mobilising resources and providing health facilities with essential phototherapy equipment, jaundice metres, and treatment protocols, all of which are set to make a profound difference in the lives of Nigerian families. 

Additionally, our partnership allows us to integrate sustainable practices into neonatal care, creating a scalable model that can be expanded across the country. By training healthcare professionals and embedding best practices in hospitals and clinics, Project Oscar aims to leave a lasting impact on neonatal health in Nigeria and around the world through the Light for Life campaign, helping to prevent the long-term disabilities associated with untreated jaundice.

Alongside our efforts to address jaundice, we continue to promote and support breastfeeding as an essential element of neonatal care through the Mamacare360 NICU Plus programming. Our WBFA midwives are actively engaged in providing lactation support to mothers, emphasising the importance of breast milk as a natural defence against infections and a vital source of nutrition, particularly for preterm infants. In addition to the practical benefits, breastfeeding fosters a critical bond between mother and child, nurturing emotional resilience in both and supporting long-term health outcomes. 

By empowering mothers with breastfeeding support, we are contributing to a holistic model of neonatal care, one that goes beyond survival to encompass the thriving of newborns. In communities across Nigeria, our WBFA midwives have become trusted sources of information and support, offering guidance on initiating and sustaining breastfeeding, even in challenging circumstances.

Today, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to our social impact partners at Reckitt, our healthcare professionals, midwives, and the communities who continue to support our mission. Your dedication to this cause has been instrumental in making tangible progress toward a future where all babies, regardless of where they are born, have an equal chance to survive and thrive.

On this World Prematurity Day, as we honour the millions of babies born too soon, let us reaffirm our commitment to bridging the gap in neonatal care, particularly for those born in underserved areas. Together, we can ensure that every baby receives the care they need to start life healthy, supported, and safe. 

Thank you.