The Establishment of the Saints Health Clinic: Self Help, Maternal Care, and the RLDS Church's Mission in Southeastern Nigeria, 1979-1982

This article analyzes the establishment of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Saints Health Clinic in Ikot Oku Mfang, Cross River State, Nigeria, during the early 1980s. It explores collaborative efforts between church leaders, Nigerian adherents, and the Cross River State government to address maternal healthcare needs in the postcolonial period.The clinic's development highlights the persistent reliance on expatriate medical professionals, the challenges of navigating local bureaucracy, and the role of colonial healthcare legacies in shaping the professionalization of maternal healthcare in the postcolonial period. The article also shows how the Saints Health Clinc was related to the church's broader mission strategies of community-led development and ecumenical collaboration.