Health Education, Prevention for Healthy Population, A Priority For This Administration... FG
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Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako and Clinton Health Access Initiative Executive Vice President Infectious Diseases, Dr. David Ripin. |
"This year in our budget, we are focusing a lot attention on cancer. And a lot of that funding will be around cancer prevention, both at primary prevention and secondary prevention levels, with screening, population prevention, and so on and so forth". Dr Salako.
"Through CHAI, over 57,000 women have received HPV screening and we were able to get a significant price reduction of HPV testkits from about $20 to now $7 to achieve the high number of screened women." Dr. Olufunke Fasawe Country Director of CHAI.
The heavy burden of non-communicable diseases, high mortality rate and mother-to-child transmission of HIV has necessitated the Federal Government to restate its commitment on implementing health education and prevention strategies; with the eradication as its main objective.
This was the assertion of the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako when he played host to a delegation of Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), led by its Executive Vice President, Infectious Diseases, Dr. David Ripin.
Salako, while speaking on the burden of diseases such as cancers, hypertension and diabetes in the society, stated that the government is adopting a more proactive approach of health education and prevention to completely address these unwholesome challenges.
A practical assurance to this approach, according to him, is that the budget of the Ministry for year 2025 will feature programs on cancer prevention at all levels.
"This year in our budget, we are focusing a lot attention on cancer. And a lot of that funding will be around cancer prevention, both at primary prevention and secondary prevention levels, with screening, population prevention, and so on and so forth", the Honourable Minister stated.
Continuing, Dr. Salako highlighted the priority attention of the Government to address and, reduce high mortality rates to the lowest, stressing, a programme known as Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative has been launched by the Ministry.
The Ministry, he pointed out, will address challenges around providing maternal care, particularly in high-burden local governments for maternal mortalities.
Introducing minimal technology into maternal care plus ultrasound, he further stated, would drive more women to come for antenatal care.
Dr. Salako expressed deep appreciation of the existing partnership between the Ministry and Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), saying, it would bring more positive impact and results to the average Nigerian.
Contributions of CHAI to Nigeria's Healthcare System
During her briefing, Dr. Olufunke Fasawe Country Director of CHAI, enumerated contributions of the organization towards improving access to healthcare delivery in the country.
These, according to her, include collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on a 50% reduction in the prices of some chemotherapies and, supporting about 20 plus centres across the country. This is to ensure that patients have access to these prices of chemotherapy.
On cervical cancer elimination, Dr. Fasawe pointed out that CHAI has moved cervical screening from outreaches, NGOs and, charitable events, to actually integrating it into the normal routine services such that any woman 25 years and above can routinely get screened for cervical cancer.
Furthermore, she stated over 57,000 women have received HPV screening, saying, CHAI was able to get a significant price reduction of HPV testkits from about $20 to now $7 to achieve the high number of screened women.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Alaba Balogun, Head, Information and Public Relations Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
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