The Health and Lifestyle Awareness Development Initiative (HLADI) proudly contributed to the effective rollout of the Maternal, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) Stepdown Training Program, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOHSW). This nationwide effort strengthened the capacity of primary and secondary healthcare providers to improve maternal and child nutrition outcomes across Nigeria.
The training activities spanned 11 states—Kaduna, Kwara, Abia, Gombe, Kogi, Nasarawa, Oyo, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, and Kano—ensuring broad coverage and deep community impact.
Strengthening Health Workers Through Secondary Provider Training
The secondary provider training was implemented in 11 states, with training sessions conducted across multiple LGAs to ensure equitable participation. The training was divided into:
- Batch A
- Batch B
This resulted in 22 secondary provider sessions, reaching a wide mix of frontline workers, facility staff, and nutrition desk officers.
The curriculum included:
- Correct breastfeeding techniques and support
- Proper complementary feeding guidance
- Nutrition assessment and counselling
- Understanding maternal nutrition needs
-,Preventing malnutrition at community and facility levels
Through group discussions, demonstrations, and hands-on practice, participants gained practical skills essential for improving MIYCN service delivery.
HLADI’s Digital Support: Enhancing Efficiency and Coordination
A major contribution of HLADI to the MIYCN program was the full digitalization of the training process across all 11 states.
HLADI designed and deployed a dedicated digital platform that enabled:
- Online participant registration
- Daily monitoring and reporting
- Attendance tracking
- Real-time data sharing with stakeholders
- Streamlined communication between trainers and participants
This system improved accountability, reduced administrative delays, and provided a central source of accurate training data for national and state-level reporting.
Primary Provider Training Across 11 States
Beyond the secondary training, HLADI also supported the coordination and monitoring of primary provider training, conducted across various clusters and LGAs in the same 11 states.
This component achieved:
- 93 primary provider training sessions
- Broader outreach to community-level health workers
- Increased capacity among those directly supporting mothers and caregivers
The primary training built on the foundation established in the secondary training, equipping health workers with practical MIYCN skills for routine service delivery.
Community Collaboration and Local Ownership
Throughout the implementation, HLADI collaborated closely with:
- State Ministries of Health
- LGA health authorities
- Community leaders
- Nutrition focal persons
- Partner organizations
This collaboration ensured that the training materials and delivery approaches reflected local needs, cultural considerations, and community realities.
The strong engagement of state and community stakeholders contributed to:
- Higher attendance
- Better adoption of practices
- Stronger ownership of MIYCN interventions
Positive Outcomes and Lasting Impact
Participants from both primary and secondary training sessions reported:
- Increased confidence in delivering MIYCN services
- Improved skills in breastfeeding counselling and complementary feeding guidance
- Better understanding of nutrition assessments
- Enhanced capability to support mothers and caregivers effectively
As a result, communities across the 11 states are better positioned to address nutrition challenges and support healthier outcomes for mothers and young children.
HLADI’s Continued Commitment
HLADI remains committed to advancing maternal and child nutrition in Nigeria through:
- Capacity building
- Digital innovation
- Community engagement
- Evidence-based programming
Our involvement in this large-scale MIYCN stepdown training reflects our dedication to empowering healthcare providers and strengthening nutrition systems nationwide.
Together with government and partners, HLADI is paving the way for a healthier future for mothers, infants, and young children across Nigeria.