C’River: PRISMA Research Study Hits 200 Enrolment Milestone in Weeks

The Pregnancy Risks, Infant Surveillance and Measurement Alliance, PRISMA, has enrolled 200 participants in Cross River State within weeks of commencing registration for its maternal and newborn health research programme.

The milestone marks significant progress for the international research initiative, which recently moved from months of community sensitization and stakeholder consultations to active participant enrolment in selected communities across the state.

In a commendation letter, the Centre for Clinical Trials, Research and Implementation Science, CCTRIS, University of Lagos, praised the Cross River PRISMA team for its dedication, teamwork and commitment to the successful implementation of the study.

CCTRIS described the achievement as a product of hard work, dedication and sustained commitment to the PRISMA Study.

PRISMA commenced the enrolment of eligible pregnant women in Calabar Municipality, Calabar South and Biase Local Government Areas in late June, following consultations with government officials, traditional rulers, religious leaders, healthcare providers, traditional birth attendants and other community stakeholders.

Under the programme, eligible pregnant women have access to comprehensive maternal healthcare services, including antenatal and postnatal care, supervised delivery and caesarean section where medically required.

The intervention also covers hospital bills and medical care for both mother and child for one year after delivery at designated public and private health facilities.

The Community Engagement Lead for PRISMA, Professor Anne Meremikwu, described the commencement of enrolment as a significant milestone, explaining that the study was designed to identify factors responsible for poor pregnancy outcomes and generate scientific evidence to strengthen maternal and newborn health policies and interventions.

Meremikwu commended the support received from government officials, traditional institutions, religious leaders, traditional birth attendants and community members during the sensitization phase.

The Project Manager, Mrs. Chisom Aquaisua, said the project team remained committed to identifying and following eligible participants through pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period.

She urged eligible expectant mothers in participating communities to take advantage of the programme, noting that the initiative would not only improve access to quality maternal healthcare but also generate reliable data to support efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

The attainment of 200 enrolments within weeks is an indication of the growing acceptance of the programme and strong participation in the Cross River component of the study.

Traditional and community leaders in participating areas have also pledged their support for the initiative and promised to mobilise eligible women to participate.

In Biase, the President of the Adim Women Biase Association, Mrs. Mary Patrick, said the association had intensified awareness campaigns to encourage eligible pregnant women to enrol.

Patrick said the association, which has more than 1,000 members across the local government area, was leveraging its extensive membership network to increase awareness and encourage participation in the programme.

PRISMA is a multicountry maternal and child health research programme focused on monitoring pregnancy outcomes and identifying factors associated with maternal and infant mortality.

In Nigeria, the project is led by Professor Martin Meremikwu, Professor of Paediatrics and Consultant Paediatrician at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, and Professor Saturday Etuk, a Consultant Gynaecologist at the University of Calabar and UCTH.

The initiative seeks to enrol and monitor pregnant women from pregnancy through childbirth and the first year of their children’s lives, generating evidence to guide policies and interventions aimed at improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.

With 200 participants already enrolled within weeks of registration, the Cross River team is expected to sustain the momentum as enrolment and follow up activities continue across participating communities.