USAID, Nigeria Flag-off Social Behavioural Change Initiative Campaign

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja

In a bid to improve maternal health, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Breakthrough Action Nigeria Project, has flagged-off a social behavioral change initiative to address norms influencing reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health in Nigeria.

The programme tagged; “Albishirin Ku,’ an Hausa word meaning ‘announcement of good news’, is focused on increasing the practice of 17 prioritised health behaviours relating to reproduction, malaria, maternal, newborn and child health plus nutrition as well as provision of family planning services that will be implemented in partnership with the federal and state governments in three focal states – Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto.

Speaking during the national presentation of the project recently in Abuja, the wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, said that Nigeria is committed to ensuring the success of the project.

Buhari, represented by the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu, commended USAID for coming up with the initiative.

While also imploring mothers to embrace the project, she said, “This time if there is lot of funding and advocacy using community influencers like traditional and religious leaders it will be able to see some impact.”

Similarly, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said the Breakthrough Action Nigeria Project was borne out of the need to support the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to produce quick and visible impact that will affect the lives and promote the health of every Nigerian especially, the most vulnerable and the poor in the society.

“Whatever modest accomplishment that has been recorded in our national maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition programming, has been with the strong support and collaboration of numerous stakeholders who have been committed to material, human and financial resources to the implementation processes.”

Ehanire, represented by the Director, Family Health Department, Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi said Albishirin Ku will stimulate demand and contribute to the improvement of service delivery which will ultimately lead to positive maternal and child health outcomes in the focal states.

“I therefore urge all stakeholders not to relent in supporting government to scale up initiatives designed to engage and mobilise individuals at all levels of society on effective implementation of high impact interventions.”

On her part, USAID Acting Health Office Director, Ms Minal Amin, disclosed that the campaign was deployed in a way that entertains, as well as educate on extremely important topics and galvanises the support of critical stakeholders such as parents, traditional and religious leaders, health providers and policy makers to create an enabling environment.

Amin, opined that, though barely out of the gate, the campaign already shows that messaging about simple behaviours practiced at the individual, household and community levels can save lives and improve health.