In Nigeria, where the mortality rate related to prematurity is 7 times higher than in Western Europe, MSF supports in Maiduguri a network of maternities and completed in June 2024 construction of a hospital entirely dedicated to CEmONC services. This referral facility—which opened with 30 beds and intends to have 92 beds at full capacity in 2025–has been integrated into the public health system, with MSF teams training Ministry of Health personnel in patient care, including care for premature infants.



This new facility was opened at the beginning of June this year and is still in its early phase, meaning that there are just 20 adult beds and ten neonatal beds. Despite this, in early October there were 13 babies in the neonatal intensive care unit, additional space was made to accommodate the extra babies, many of which were premature. So far, there have been 58 premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit since the facility opened.