The Federal Government and its global partners have finished a major project to create new guidelines for newborn and child health in Nigeria. Learn how these new rules will help save the lives of children.
A New Plan to Save Newborns
The Federal Government of Nigeria, working with top international and research partners, has just finished a very important health project. The project is called Global Evidence, Local Adaptation (GELA), and its main goal was to create and improve health guidelines for newborn babies and children. For a long time, the country has been trying to reduce the number of children who die from preventable sicknesses. This new project is a big step in that direction, as it gives health workers a better way to care for babies and children in all parts of Nigeria.
What is the GELA Project?
The GELA project was an ambitious three-year program that started in April 2022 and officially ended in August 2025. It was a joint effort between Nigeria and two other African countries, Malawi and South Africa. The project was led in Nigeria by Cochrane Nigeria, a respected research body in Cross River State.
The main idea behind GELA was to take a look at the best health science from all over the world and then change it to fit the realities and needs of local healthcare in Nigeria. This means that instead of just copying international rules, experts worked together to make sure the guidelines would actually work in Nigerian clinics and hospitals. The project was funded by the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2).
Nigeria’s Commitment to Child Health
During the project's final meeting in Abuja, leaders from the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare showed their strong support for the GELA initiative. They said that the project aligns perfectly with Nigeria’s vision to save lives, reduce pain, and make healthcare better for everyone, especially at the grassroots level. This shows that the government is very serious about using science and teamwork to improve health outcomes for our most vulnerable people.
The President of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria (PAN), Professor Ekanem Ekure, also commended the government for their partnership. Her presence at the event confirmed how important these new guidelines are for doctors and nurses who work with children every day.
The Two Big Wins of the GELA Project
The GELA project had two major achievements that will have a big impact on the health of children. These were the creation of new guidelines on:
1. Improving Hand Hygiene and Infection Control: This part of the project focuses on how to keep health workers, patients, and the public from spreading germs. By teaching everyone how to properly wash their hands and keep the environment clean, the project aims to reduce the number of infections that babies and children get, especially when they are in the hospital.
2. Advancing Low-Birth-Weight and Preterm Care: The project also created special guidelines for taking care of babies who are born too early or who weigh very little. These babies are very fragile and need special attention to survive and grow strong. The new rules will help health workers across the country give them the best care possible, which will save many newborn lives.
How the Project Worked
The GELA project followed a careful six-step process: engage, synthesize, decide, share, learn, and evaluate. This was not a quick process. The project leaders first talked to many national stakeholders to find out the most urgent health problems. Then, they looked at all the available scientific evidence and decided which guidelines were the best for Nigeria.
According to Professor Martin Meremikwu, the Director of Cochrane Nigeria, the project was special because it did not just stop at creating guidelines. It also helped to train more local experts on how to find and use scientific evidence to make future health decisions. This means that Nigeria now has a strong team of experts who can continue this work on their own.
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Looking to the Future
The end of the GELA project is not the end of the journey. Professor Meremikwu said that "Today is the end of a project, but it is the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s evidence-based healthcare journey.” This means that the new guidelines are now ready to be put into practice in all our health facilities. They will also influence Nigeria’s contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline program.
The successful completion of this project shows that Nigeria is ready to invest in healthcare interventions that are effective, affordable, and suited for our unique country. This brings us closer to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and reducing the number of children who die from sicknesses that we can prevent.
Key Partners & Collaborators
- Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare (Family Health and Planning Research Departments)
- Cochrane Nigeria (led adaptation in Cross River State)
- Pediatric Association of Nigeria (clinical oversight and guidance)
- Funded by EDCTP2, with no influence on study design or execution
- Prof. Ekanem Ekure, PAN President, praised the government’s coordination and affirmed partnership throughout the project’s duration.
What Happens Next?
The Federal Ministry and its technical teams plan to:
Roll out finalized guidelines to healthcare workers at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels
Train health providers and district teams on using the new evidence-based tools and protocols
Use digital tools like MAGICapp to share and monitor guideline use in clinics
Adapt findings to improve national health policy and inform future WHO plans
Why Every Nigerian Should Know This
- These completed guidelines will help health workers provide safer, targeted care, especially for newborns and preterm babies
- It marks a shift to research-led, locally adapted healthcare solutions
- It supports Nigeria’s goals under UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 (ending preventable under-five deaths by 2030)
- It ays a foundation for evidence-based policymaking and sustainable healthcare reforms?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of the project mentioned in this article?
The project's name is Global Evidence, Local Adaptation, or GELA.
How long did the GELA project last?
The project lasted for three years, from April 2022 to August 2025.
What were the two main things the project focused on?
The project focused on improving hand hygiene and infection control and on providing better care for low-birth-weight and preterm babies.
Who led the project in Nigeria?
The project in Nigeria was led by Cochrane Nigeria, with strong support from the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare.
What is Universal Health Coverage (UHC)?
UHC is the goal of making sure all people have access to the health services they need without facing financial problems.
How will these new guidelines help Nigeria?
The new guidelines will help to reduce preventable child deaths and improve healthcare delivery in clinics and hospitals across the country.
Where can I find more information about this project?
You can find more information about this project on the official website of the Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare.
Source: Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare and media coverage of the GELA project completion health.gov.ng