USAID-IHP supports FG to improve PHCs service delivery in Abuja

Integrated Health Programme (IHP), State Director, FCT said the five-year USAID IHP expanded technical support to Nigeria was designed to champion reduction in child, maternal morbidity and mortality in the Federal  Capital Territory (FCT).

Dr Adewumi Frances-Lois, said this during a one-day media engagement meeting on Tuesday in Dutse Alhaji.

According to her, the project had three objectives, to strengthen health systems, supporting Primary Health Care (PHC) services.

Others she said were to improve access to primary health care services and increase the quality of PHC.

She stated that the purpose was to implement priority on PHC interventions in strengthening the health leadership and ward-level health systems as well as strengthen engagement with the government.

Frances-Lois said that the programme had achieved its set goals and objectives of contributing to FCT reductions in child maternal morbidity and mortality, while increasing the capacity of health systems.

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This, she said has sustainably supported the quality of PHC services, since its five years of operation in the territory.

“Support to FCT since inception among others is make-over of 50 PHCs in the FCT with provision of essential furniture, beddings, designed and deployed an e-portal for Private Health Establishments.

“Registration and Monitoring Committee (PHERMC) for registration and licensing of private facilities.

“Health care workers were trained in 126 facilities, while on Maternal and newborn health (MNH)530, Family Planning,(477) and child health (524) using the low dose high-frequency approach.

“Trained 80 health care workers in 12 government hospitals on inpatient management of severe malaria, severe pneumonia and severe complicated malnutrition,” she said.

USAID Integrated Health Programme (IHP)  has expanded technical support to Nigeria to rapidly scale-up proven reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, nutrition, and malaria (RMNCH+NM) intervention.

While, IHP interventions were present in Ebonyi, Bauchi, Kebbi, and Sokoto states, including  FCT, to support health policies and systems at the federal level.

Also, Mr David Barau, Public Relations Officer, FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS) said that the benefit of the package was the basic components of care an enrolled beneficiary would receive from the healthcare provider at all levels .

Barau said that they have three types of care which are fully covered, partial exclusive, and total exclusive.

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He said that the scheme had commenced access to healthcare in September 2009.

Adding that, the scheme is a social health insurance that operates on the principle of solidarity, pooling of resources and risk sharing for the provision of affordable, accessible and qualitative health care to FCT residents and the nation at large.

(NAN)