The project design was informed by the basic assumption that the health seeking behaviour of women and men accessing services and the health providing practices of health workers in local communities in Northern Nigeria are affected by misperceptions and incorrect information about what is permitted or not permitted within Islam.

Project Title: Saving Lives at Birth: Islamic Opinion Leaders: Building capacity for maternal, neonatal and child health in Northern Nigeria (SLaB)

Funder: Saving Lives at Birth Partnership through Grand Challenges Canada

Project Period: November 2014 – November 2016

Project Location: Katsina State

SLaB project was funded by Saving Lives at Birth Partnership in 2014 to implement an innovative project which aims at building the capacity of a core group of Islamic Opinion Leaders to train health  providers/administrators on the correct Islamic precepts on:- 1) family planning/child spacing; 2) being attended by male health workers; 3) facility based antenatal care and delivery; 4) allowing neonates and children to accept polio and routine immunization;  and 5) on age of marriage.

The project design was informed by the basic assumption that the health seeking behaviour of women and men accessing services and the health providing practices of health workers in local communities in Northern Nigeria are affected by misperceptions and incorrect information about what is permitted or not permitted within Islam.

Proof of Concept statement: the project was designed to achieve the following:

• 40% increase in health providers/administrators confidence, measured through KAP surveys and complimentary qualitative evidence, to negotiate religious barriers to the uptake of MNCH services in Muslim communities as a result of exposure to knowledge, communication practices and leadership skills on MNCH in Islam Health gained in the project
• MNCH clients demonstrate recollection of messages that support family planning and vaccination practices within Islam, and report satisfaction with provider-client experience in intervention clinics.