CIS Contributes to Global Discussions on Maternal and Newborn Health at IMNHC

The Center for Implementation Sciences in Health (CIS), Aklilu Lemma Institute of Health Research, Addis Ababa University, participated in the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference (IMNHC 2026), held in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 23–26, 2026.

The conference brought together global experts, researchers, policymakers, development partners, and health practitioners to accelerate progress in maternal and newborn health, with a focus on improving survival, preventing stillbirths, and ensuring that mothers and newborns not only survive but thrive.

Several members of the CIS team participated in the conference, contributing to discussions, engaging with international partners, and exchanging experiences on evidence-based approaches to improving maternal and newborn health outcomes.

As part of the conference, Abiy Seifu Estifanos, SLL360 Ethiopia National Lead, joined a panel discussion during the session titled “Optimizing Primary Health Care to Accelerate Maternal Newborn Health Gains: Lessons from Ethiopia,” organized by JSI. The session provided an opportunity to share perspectives and lessons from Ethiopia while engaging with experts and partners from other countries.

The conference programme featured several other important sessions addressing key priorities in maternal and newborn health, including:

• Accelerating progress from evidence and innovation to action.
• Financing maternal and newborn healthcare in a changing global health landscape.
• New insights in maternal and newborn nutrition.
• Strategies to accelerate reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality in resource-limited settings.
• Innovations and implementation approaches for improving neonatal survival and preventing stillbirths.
• Maternal and newborn health realities in rural areas.

Through its participation, CIS reaffirmed its commitment to generating implementation evidence, strengthening health systems, and supporting the scale-up of proven interventions within existing health systems.

The Center’s engagement at IMNHC 2026 reflects its continued efforts to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice and contribute to national and global efforts to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes.