SALSA In Nigeria
Tiny Feet Big Steps Learning Takes Root in Nigeria
SALSA Training Expands Life-Saving Care
One of the most powerful outcomes of the Tiny Feet Big Steps Neonatology Conference is seeing participants return home and put new knowledge into practice. Every conference is designed not just to share ideas, but to equip frontline clinicians with practical, high-impact skills that save newborn lives. The ripple effects are being felt across Africa.
Dr. John Audu, inspired by the 2026 Tiny Feet Big Steps Conference in Arusha, Tanzania, has become one of those changemakers. Building on the collaborations and learning from the conference, he recently led a successful SALSA (Surfactant Administration through Laryngeal or Supraglottic Airway) training for doctors and nurses at General Hospital, Orile Agege in Lagos, Nigeria, through an invitation from Dr. Temitope Iyadunni Bakare.
SALSA is an innovative, minimally invasive technique for delivering surfactant to premature infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) using an i-gel laryngeal mask airway. Particularly suited to resource-limited settings, the technique allows timely surfactant therapy while maintaining non-invasive respiratory support, reducing the need for intubation and potentially preventing escalation to mechanical ventilation.
According to Dr. Audu, participants were excited by the simplicity and effectiveness of the procedure. The training provided frontline healthcare professionals with practical experience and renewed confidence in delivering life-saving care to vulnerable newborns.
“In resource-limited settings, this approach is a game-changer,” Dr. Audu shared. “By equipping general hospitals and district facilities with these skills, we can optimize neonatal outcomes where most births occur closer to communities, reducing referrals and delays that cost precious lives.”
His vision extends beyond a single hospital. Dr. Audu is committed to scaling SALSA training across secondary-level facilities throughout Nigeria and beyond, helping bring advanced newborn care closer to communities where it is needed most.
Stories like this demonstrate why Tiny Feet Big Steps matters. When healthcare workers gather to learn, collaborate, and share experiences, the benefits extend far beyond the conference halls. Knowledge is carried home, new skills are implemented, and babies who might not otherwise survive are given the chance.
At ICHA, we believe that every healthcare professional empowered with practical newborn care skills becomes a catalyst for change. The impact of Tiny Feet Big Steps continues to grow—one hospital, one training, and one saved life at a time.