Stakeholders have called for stronger collaboration to expand access to family planning, nutrition, and health promotion services in Nigeria, warning that duplication of efforts, weak coordination, and uneven coverage undermine progress in saving lives.
This was the consensus at a technical meeting convened by the Health Promotion Department of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) on Friday in Abuja.
The meeting, held in collaboration with development partners, aimed to harmonise and integrate health promotion activities across the country.
Dr. John Urakpa, Director of Health Promotion at FMoH, stressed that health promotion goes beyond Social and Behavioral Change (SBC).
“When we equate health promotion only to SBC, we miss the bigger picture,” he said, urging partners to align their interventions under government-led frameworks.
Mr. Chibuike Utaka, Head of Marketing and Communications at MSI Nigeria Reproductive Choices, said the organization provides family planning through clinics, outreach teams, and “MS Ladies”—retired nurses and midwives serving remote communities. He emphasized partnerships with traditional and religious leaders to challenge negative norms that limit women’s choices.
Representing the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), Dr. Ijeoma Okongwu cautioned against duplicating health promotion materials without involving the Health Promotion Division.
“If we build parallel systems, we fragment impact instead of strengthening national efforts,” she warned.
Mr. Michael Titus, Social and Behavioral Change Communication Coordinator at Society for Family Health (SFH), urged state governments to prioritize funding for SBC, strengthen last-mile distribution of commodities, and allow emergency stock requests from FMoH to manage supply gaps. He also called for stronger partnerships with influencers and the private sector.
Dr. Amina Abdullai, Health Sector Lead at CARE Nigeria, highlighted the link between women’s economic empowerment, adolescent health, and overall health outcomes. She stressed that empowering girls and women must be tied to measurable health progress.
Dr. Ayodele Gbemileke, Programme Officer for Maternal, Newborn Health and Nutrition at Nutrition International, described nutrition as central to preventing maternal and child deaths.
She decried Nigeria’s high maternal mortality ratio of 814 per 100,000 live births, widespread anaemia affecting one in two women, and persistent child stunting.
“I go to the field and see children who are supposed to be two years old, yet they look like six months old. This is our future, and they will hold us accountable,” she said.
She urged prioritisation of the first 1,000 days of life, gender equality, and community engagement through local platforms such as mosque sermons, weddings, naming ceremonies, and WhatsApp groups.
Dr. Kingsley Igwebuike, WHO Infodemic Management Lead, underscored the role of the media in countering misinformation and ensuring accurate health messages reach the public.
Throughout the dialogue, stakeholders flagged duplication of interventions, with multiple partners often targeting the same local government areas (LGAs) while others remained uncovered—leaving gaps in access and sustainability once donor funding ends.
The meeting closed with a collective call for stronger coordination among governments, partners, and communities to harmonize health promotion, ensure state-wide coverage, and sustain behavioral change that will save lives.
