D-8 Health and Social Protection Launches Medical Outreach in Niger State

The D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme (D-8 HSP) has commenced its 2024 Medical Mission and Outreach in Niger State as part of its efforts to eradicate poverty, reduce hunger, and improve the health and well-being of citizens in member states.

READ ALSO:Nigerian Government Launches National Medical Outreach to Enhance Healthcare 

The event, flagged off on Friday, June 28th, in Niger State, North Central Nigeria, aims to support member states in accelerating progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, and 3.

The Global Director of the D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme, Dr. Ado Muhammad, stated that the Medical Outreach targets reaching 4,000 children under five with Vitamin A, Zinc/ORS, micronutrient powder, and deworming drugs, as well as providing multi-micronutrient supplements (MMS) to 1,200 pregnant mothers.

He also mentioned that the D-8 HSP is donating 400 delivery kits to pregnant mothers to alleviate the financial burden on families expecting new babies, along with new bedsheets to the General Hospital to support health service delivery.

“This initial outreach will help the D-8 HSP understand the needs of the states better and identify ways to prioritize its efforts more effectively.

“At D-8 HSP, we serve the people, seeking to improve their health and livelihoods. We incorporate community participation and ownership into our programs to ensure the long-term sustainability of our interventions.” He said.

Dr. Ado further stated that the outreach aims to support Nigeria’s progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and will commence in the first-phase states of Niger, Kano, FCT, Enugu, Osun, and Bauchi.

The outreach will also focus on disease control, maternal health, providing nutritional needs for pregnant women and children, and testing and counseling for HIV/AIDS, with a special emphasis on children under five and pregnant mothers.

The Global Director noted that in 2023, D-8 HSP supported the remodeling of a Primary Health Center in Kaduna State, North Western Nigeria, to enhance access to healthcare.

“This year, the goal is to provide a comprehensive range of medical services, including hypertension checks, blood sugar checks, HIV testing, malaria testing, family planning services, and the distribution of Vitamin A supplements and deworming drugs. The mission is not only to deliver these essential services but also to improve the overall health and nutritional status of vulnerable populations while promoting the values and mission of the D-8 HSP.”

“The D-8 HSP’s approach incorporates community participation and ownership to ensure the long-term sustainability of its interventions. The anticipated outcomes include improved overall health and nutritional status of vulnerable populations, increased awareness and knowledge of health and nutrition practices, strengthened capacity of local health workers and community leaders, and finding sustainable strategies for ongoing health and nutritional support in rural communities,” Dr. Ado added.

He further stated that in Nigeria, the D-8 HSP is committed to supporting the government in strengthening health systems to deliver impactful health outcomes.

Dr. Ado Muhammad expressed gratitude to the people of Niger State and acknowledged the support of Dr. Bello Tukur, Commissioner of Secondary and Tertiary Health, and Dr. Ahmed Dangana, Honorable Commissioner of Primary Healthcare.

He appreciated the efforts and thanked the health mission for partnering with Niger State to improve the health sector. He promised to report the entire process to the state governor, Umar Mohammed Bago, noting that Niger State recognizes its challenges in the health sector, but the Governor is working hard to make significant progress.

The state government has concluded the employment of 1,400 health workers in its efforts to improve the health sector. The state is also partnering with various health NGOs and urges other NGOs to come and sign MOUs to foster more collaboration in the health sector.

The D-8 Health and Social Protection Programme (D-8 HSP) is an affiliate body of the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8), comprising member states Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Nigeria, Malaysia, and Turkey. The programme is dedicated to improving health and livelihoods, supporting member states in accelerating progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, and 3.

The programme’s strategic pillars include Innovative and Sustainable Financing, Trade and Health, and Data for Performance and Impact.