Vayu Global Health Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has highlighted the need to expand access to Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy to improve survival rates of premature babies across Africa.
Mr Kennedy Opondo, the foundation’s Africa Director, made this statement in Abuja during a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme sponsored by Vayu for 40 healthcare workers from 12 hospitals.
The 2025 United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) report estimated that 1.084 million newborns died in sub-Saharan Africa in 2024.
According to the report, prematurity accounted for 30.4 per cent of neonatal deaths in the region, translating to approximately 330,000 deaths.
In Nigeria, an estimated 295,006 newborns died within their first 28 days of life in 2024, while the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey put neonatal mortality at 41 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Opondo stated that CPAP therapy is essential for supporting premature babies’ breathing and noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends this intervention for newborns needing respiratory support.
He attributed the limited adoption of this technology in Africa to resource constraints and stressed the need for stronger partnerships to improve access to quality newborn care.
“Respiratory care for newborns is essential, especially for those born prematurely. However, limited resources across Africa have restricted the widespread use of CPAP therapy.
“We want to ensure that every newborn, regardless of the environment in which the baby is delivered, has access to this form of respiratory support,” he said.
Opondo said the foundation is collaborating with government institutions and other partners to improve access to CPAP technology and strengthen its integration into healthcare delivery systems.
He emphasised that government ownership is critical for sustaining the intervention, noting that NGOs can only support efforts to achieve broader healthcare objectives.
“We view government as the key stakeholder in implementing these interventions. Our role is to support, but ultimately, government must take ownership and integrate CPAP therapy into the healthcare system.
“Other organisations must also collaborate rather than operate in silos. A common goal, coordinated advocacy, and shared implementation strategies are essential for achieving sustainable results,” he said.
Opondo said the organisation is considering a hub-and-spoke approach involving healthcare facilities, governments, and implementing partners to extend the intervention beyond major hospitals.
He said this strategy would facilitate broader access to neonatal respiratory care, especially in facilities with limited specialised training and equipment.
Dr Christiana Oji-Mmou, Associate Professor of Paediatrics at Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, said the training aims to equip healthcare workers with skills to improve respiratory care for critically ill newborns.
Oji-MmOji-Mmou said participants were selected from hospitals in Abuja and neighbouring states, focusing on facilities with high volumes of newborn deliveries. He explained that the programme targeted key personnel in neonatal units, including neonatologists, paediatricians, neonatal nurses, obstetric nurses and biomedical engineers.
“The purpose of the training is to equip these healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to return to their facilities and train other healthcare workers.
“We want to ensure that those directly involved in newborn care understand how to provide the necessary support to critically ill premature and full-term babies.
“They will learn the principles of bubble CPAP, its clinical use, assembly and disassembly,g and care for a neonate on CPAP,” she said.
She said eight participating hospitals are federal medical centres and teaching hospitals, while four are selected private facilities with high volumes of newborn deliveries.
She noted that some private hospitals are also in-vitro fertilisation centres, where multiple pregnancies involving twins and triplets can increase the risk of premature delivery. Oji-Mmou said biomedical personnel are included because functional equipment is essential for effective neonatal care. She said the programme is expected to expand beyond Abuja to other states and geopolitical zones, with plans to engage state governments and primary healthcare facilities. ti“This is only the beginning of the training. We have participants from Plateau, Nasarawa, and Kogi States, but our goal is to expand the programme nationwide. ntry.
“We also plan to work with the FCT and state governments to extend the training to secondary healthcare facilities and primary healthcare centres so more newborns can benefit,” she said. Layo Adumbi, a Senior Nursing Officer at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, and a beneficiary of the programme, described the training as an important step toward improving respiratory care for premature babies.
Adumbi saAdumbi said the VAYU CPAP device offers advantages over improvised alternatives, particularly because its oxygen blender combines atmospheric air with oxygen from an external source. She explained that the technology allowed more controlled oxygen delivery, reducing the risks associated with administering 100 per cent oxygen to newborns.
“The VAYU CPAP is a welcome innovation because it has a blender that combines atmospheric air with oxygen from the oxygen source. This helps to regulate the oxygen concentration delivered to the baby.
“Previously, we relied on improvised CPAP devices, which were not as effective, and there were concerns about giving newborns 100 per cent oxygen, which could be harmful,” she said.
Adumbi saAdumbi said she has used the device in her facility and observed improvements in the condition and outcomes of babies receiving treatment. ed that its ease of assembly and ability to function without electricity made it particularly useful in healthcare facilities facing power supply challenges.
“I have used it in my facility, and it has helped improve the outcomes of our babies. We have seen positive results, with fewer complications and faster recovery.
“It is also easy to assemble and does not require electricity, making it a practical option for hospitals where reliable power supply remains a challenge,” she said.
The nurse commended the organisers of the training and expressed optimism that broader access to the technology will strengthen newborn care and help reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality.
