In a testament to its commitment to improving public health outcomes in Nigeria, Breakthrough Action Nigeria, funded by the United States Agency for International Development, celebrated seven years of transformative work in social behaviour change programmes.
The Project Learning and Transition event, held in Abuja, Nigeria, with the theme ‘Celebrating successes, consolidating learning, and transition for sustainability’, highlighted the project’s significant achievements and contributions to the nation’s health sector.
The event brought together stakeholders in the health sector, including policymakers, traditional and community leaders, partners, benefiting states, and the media.
The Federal Ministry of Health extended a heartfelt goodwill message to USAID and Breakthrough Action Nigeria , commending their exemplary contributions to public health in Nigeria.
“We are deeply grateful for the tireless efforts of Breakthrough Action Nigeria and its partners in combating diseases, promoting healthier lifestyles, and driving transformative changes in Nigeria’s healthcare system,'” said Dr. Binyerem Ukaire, Director of the Family Health Department, representing the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare,” Professor Muhammad Pate.
The Minister emphasised the critical role of social and behaviour change (SBC) interventions in achieving the ministry’s health goals, particularly in areas such as reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health, as well as nutrition.
“‘We acknowledge Breakthrough Action Nigeria’s strategic initiatives and collaborations, which have demonstrated the power of synergy in advancing national health objectives,'” he said. “We hope that this event will serve as a catalyst for continued innovation, collaboration, and progress in the shared mission to improve health outcomes for all Nigerians.”
Deputy Director of USAID’s Health Population & Nutrition (HPN), Dr Suegartha Kai-Rennie, delivered an opening remarks that emphasized the strong partnership between the Government of Nigeria, development partners, and academia.
“‘Since its inception in 2017, Breakthrough Action Nigeria has implemented a range of proven, promising, and emerging approaches to create shifts in health behaviours,'” she said. “The project’s impact is evident in its reach, with over 17 million Nigerians, including 7.8 million children under five and 600,000 pregnant women, benefiting from evidence-based health messages.”
Dr Kai-Rennie highlighted successful behaviour change campaigns such as Albishirin-Ku and Mama Put Fever Care, which have positively impacted health-seeking behaviours among Nigerians.
“‘The project has facilitated over 2.3 million community-to-facility referrals for essential health services, including family planning, maternal and child health, malaria, and nutrition services,'” she said. “We commend the visionary leadership of the Ministry of Health and its efforts to harness capacity gained from USAID support.”
Earlier in an address of welcome, Project Director Breakthrough Action Nigeria,Dr Shittu Aguye, emphasised the project’s journey, likening it to the lifecycle of a human being.
“‘The project’s extensive scope spans priority health areas such as maternal, newborn, and child health, family planning, nutrition, malaria, tuberculosis, COVID-19, and priority zoonotic diseases,” he said. “We are committed to saving lives and transforming the landscape of social behaviour change (SBC) programme implementation in Nigeria.”
Dr Aguye expressed happiness in Breakthrough Action Nigeria’s achievements achieved through a multifaceted approach encompassing community engagement, mass media, mobile/digital platforms, provider behaviour, advocacy, and capacity building interventions.
In an interview with Alhaji Sani Umar, he disclosed that the Breakthrough Action project has improved maternal health in Sokoto state.
“The project has enhanced male involvement by bringing them together to discuss issues like family planning, ANC [antenatal care], home delivery, post-natal care [PNC], malaria among others,” he said. “We also appear on radio phone-in programmes to respond to questions or concerns from the people,” Umar added.
