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The Federal Capital Territory Administration and key health sector stakeholders in Abuja have urged the United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue its Integrated Health Program (IHP).
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),Mariya Mahmoud, highlighted that the five-year USAID IHP, which concluded on Thursday, significantly enhanced the health and well-being of FCT residents, as shown by improvements in basic health indicators across the six area councils.
Marta Levitt, Chief of Party for USAID-IHP, noted that over its duration and commitment of over $21m, IHP strengthened systems supporting primary healthcare services in the FCT.
According to her, the programme improved financial risk protection through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the FCT Health Insurance Scheme, enhanced human resources for health, increased the availability of drugs, commodities, and services in health facilities, supported the institutionalization of better data quality practices, and promoted integrated service delivery.
The project also resulted in improved access to and quality of primary healthcare services that resulted in, “In FCT, use of modern family planning resulted in 231,107 couple-years of protection. More than 104,903 unintended pregnancies, 533 maternal deaths, and 2,615 child deaths were averted mainly due to the increased use of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC).
“Among other significant quality of care improvements, IHP support in FCT resulted in a 37% increase in antenatal care visits and a 351% increase in uptake of IPT3.
“20,872 cases of childhood diarrhea were treated correctly with ORS+Zinc and 1,198,504 doses of Vitamin A provided to children 6-59 months over the life of the project.
“In IHP-supported facilities in the FCT, there was a 63% increase in facility deliveries conducted by a skilled birth attendant (SBA) and a decrease in the institutional mortality rate at IHP-supported facilities by 29%.
“127,092 live newborns were delivered in IHP-supported facilities with improved essential newborn care, an increase in chlorhexidine applied to the cord from 23% in 2020 to 92% in 2024 and immediate breastfeeding within one hour of birth and skin-to-skin contact increased from 30% in Year 2 to 98% in Year 4,” she said.
Speaking at the IHP close-out ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, Mahmoud, who was represented at the event, said, “We hope you will extend IHP in the FCT to additional years or come up with alternative partnership opportunities with us.”
She explained the reason for appealing for the continuation of the project, saying, “Within the five years of the program’s implementation, tremendous successes were achieved in the areas of maternal and child health, nutrition, and capacity building of healthcare workers, among others.
“The 160 healthcare facilities, which included 92 PHCs, 12 general hospitals, and 56 private health centers, are currently operating maximally and providing essential health services to the good people of the FCT.
“It is, therefore, pertinent at this juncture to appreciate and commend USAID for this kind gesture done to our people.”
The Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Adedolapo Fasawe, assured that all areas of intervention from the concluded program would be sustained.
According to her, the Health Services and Environment Secretariat cannot afford to let the progress made in maternal, newborn, and child health, adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCH+N), health insurance coverage, infrastructure, and capacity building for health workers, as well as the process improvements in 162 health institutions across the Territory, go to waste.
The Emir of Jiwa, HRH Idris Musa, highlighted the significant progress in maternal and child health, as well as referral and health insurance within the FCT due to the IHP interventions, which he noted have saved many lives.
He pleaded for the continuation of IHP, even if it operates under a different program, saying, “We are appealing to you, without continuity, there may be a problem. Let there be continuation for some years before we take over,” he said.
On his part, Hon. Chinedu Obika, the member of the House of Representatives for the AMAC/Bwari Federal constituency, expressed regret that he learned about the program only as it was concluding.
“All the programmes will be sustained,” she assured.
