SFH Nigeria Website 
News and Photo Stories Week 20
SFH IN THE NEWS
SafeCare partners with Monitor Healthcare Ltd to improve healthcare quality in Lagos
The Sun, 08 May 2025
In a major step toward enhancing healthcare quality in Nigeria, SafeCare has entered into a formal partnership with Monitor Healthcare Limited to launch a quality-focused initiative aimed at transforming healthcare delivery across the country. The partnership was officially unveiled at a high-level event in Lagos, themed “Partnering with SafeCare: Improving Quality and Ensuring No Healthcare Facility is Left Behind.” The launch drew participation from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, healthcare providers, medical directors of secondary and tertiary institutions, development partners, regulatory bodies, and heads of healthcare associations. Click here to read more.
Delta First Lady, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, Named 2025 Net Ambassador as 3.1m nets to be distributed in 25 Delta LGAs
Emerald Nigeria, 13 May 2025
Wife of the Delta State Governor, Deaconess Tobore Oborevwori, was officially invested as the 2025 Net Ambassador during a ceremony held on Monday at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
The investiture was part of a broader event marking the launch of the measles-rubella vaccine advocacy and the official kickoff of the long-lasting insecticidal treated net (ITN) distribution campaign in the state. Deaconess Oborevwori was decorated by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, alongside representatives from the Society for Family Health, led by its Project Director, John Ocholi. Click here to read more.
SFH ACTIVITIES
SFH and partner Organisations Showcase Nigerian Innovations in TB/HIV Care at Global Conference in Namibia
Society for Family Health (SFH) has played a prominent role at the 2nd Conference on Innovations in Tuberculosis, held in Windhoek, Namibia, serving as a platform for global scientists to exchange groundbreaking research and explore future-forward solutions in tuberculosis (TB) care and control. Dr Charles Odima, Project Director of the Global Fund N-THRIP GC7 Project at SFH, was a distinguished member of the Nigerian delegation and a key speaker during the conference’s oral presentation sessions. In his presentation titled Managing TB/HIV Co-morbidities among Children and Adolescents through Targeted Structural Interventions in Northern Nigeria: A Pathway to Improved Health Outcomes, Dr Odima spotlighted structural interventions addressing the social determinants of health for vulnerable populations. Drawing from SFH’s work in Kwara and Gombe States, Nigeria, he illustrated how targeted efforts have contributed to improved care outcomes for children and adolescents living with TB/HIV co-infections.
The conference, held as a pre-event to INTEREST 2025, convened global health leaders to discuss innovations in TB diagnostics, drug resistance, TB/HIV integration, and the role of artificial intelligence in case detection. The Nigerian delegation featured representatives from several partner organisations, including IHVN, NEPWHAN, KNCV, The Leprosy Mission, and Catholic Caritas Nigeria. Opening the conference, the Namibian Minister of Health, Hon Dr Esperance Luvindad, urged participants to channel discussions into “actionable insights and innovations” that could shape the future of global TB response. Dr Odima also contributed to the poster presentation session, engaging fellow scientists in dialogue around contextual influences and strategic innovations applied in Nigerian settings. His presence continues at the INTEREST 2025 Conference from 13–16 May at the Windhoek International Convention Centre, where he will further represent SFH’s growing footprint in global health discourse. The Nigerian delegation’s robust participation exemplifies the country’s rising leadership in global health innovation and SFH’s commitment to evidence-based programming for the most vulnerable.
SFH Launches SWIFT Project to Strengthen Women’s Access to Family Planning and Economic Empowerment in Lagos State
Society for Family Health (SFH) officially launched the SWIFT Project (Supporting Women’s Increased Access to Family Planning through Pharmacies and PPMVs) on May 14, 2025, at the Radisson Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. The project, supported by the Gender Equality Division and co-funded by the Family Planning and Women’s Economic Empowerment teams, is designed to empower women economically while expanding access to quality family planning services in underserved communities across Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna States. At the heart of the SWIFT Project is a vision to transform community pharmacies and patent and proprietary medicine vendors (PPMVs) into inclusive, women-led enterprises that are both sustainable and pivotal in delivering essential healthcare services. In her keynote address, Dr (Mrs) Folashade Oludara, Director of Family Health and Nutrition, who represented the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health Dr Olusegun Ogboye, reaffirmed Lagos State’s commitment to ensuring accessible family planning services for women and girls. Speaking on behalf of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, she declared the SWIFT project open in Lagos, applauding the Gates Foundation for its support. She highlighted that over 3,310,000 women have already been reached, and more than 180,000 have accessed family planning methods through existing efforts. She emphasised that the SWIFT Project would amplify these gains by addressing persistent barriers such as stigma, distance, and affordability through widespread use of trained PPMVs. Dr Oludara urged all stakeholders to take full ownership of the initiative to ensure its sustainability and lasting impact. Pharm Kene Eruchalu, Deputy Managing Director, Programme delivery, SFH, described the launch as a significant milestone in SFH’s journey to improve women’s health outcomes. He noted that SWIFT builds upon the success of earlier projects such as IntegratE and ePharma4FP, and is poised to scale up proven interventions across the three states.
Mrs Ummi Rahma Shehu, the SWIFT Project Manager, shared insights into the project’s implementation strategy, which includes digitising healthcare delivery, fostering women-led cooperatives, and creating strong market linkages through fintech and innovative financing solutions. She emphasised that the project is designed to support the entrepreneurial growth of women in healthcare while strengthening access to life-saving family planning services for underserved communities.The event witnessed goodwill messages from key partners including the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), and the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, highlighting their alignment with SWIFT’s goals. Mr Olakunle Daramola, State Consultant for the Gates Foundation, praised the project’s inclusive approach, stating it is a transformative step toward equitable healthcare access. He underscored the foundation’s commitment to supporting voluntary family planning services across Nigeria. Other dignitaries present included Mr Michael Alagbile, Chief of Party, SWIFT; Dr Olushegun Oboye, Lagos State Government representative; Mr Tosin Awosika of LASHMA; and Mr Abiodun Ajayi, State Programme Coordinator, engender Health. Staff from other SFH projects such as PACS, N-THRIP, IntegratE, and ePharma4FP also participated in the launch, demonstrating SFH’s collaborative spirit and integrated approach to public health solutions.
Redefining Harm Reduction Services in Oyo State: SFH Catalyzes Change Through Stakeholder Collaboration
Amid ongoing efforts to the continuous delivery of harm reduction services in Oyo State, Society for Family Health Nigeria (SFH), led by the Head of Health Security and Infectious Diseases, Pharm Yamen Okonkwo, conducted two strategic courtesy and advocacy visits in Oyo State: first to the newly appointed Coordinating Director, Oyo State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OYSACA), Dr. Wale Falana; and then to the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi. These visits, supported by SFH’s SHINE project, marked a renewed commitment to harm reduction efforts through the Hepatitis C Combination Prevention among People Who Inject Drugs Project (HEPC3P). SFH presented HEPC3P’s achievements and plans, including findings from the Phase One Low Dead Space Syringes/Needles (LDSS/N) study and future strategies.
The Coordinating Director pledged OYSACA’s full support, emphasising collaboration and equitable resource sharing. At the State Ministry of Health, the Honourable Commissioner endorsed the harm reduction action plan/road map and approved key operational activities, including commissioning OYSACA as the lead coordinating entity; authorising the storage and community-level distribution of commodities; integrating harm reduction data into state systems; and leveraging OYSACA’s data management platform for effective reporting. The Honourable Commissioner was also briefed on other SFH’s ongoing projects in Oyo State – (1). RIHHWUD (targeting women who use drugs), (2). SHINE (expanding contraceptive options), and (3). DISC (promoting self-care in reproductive health). These comprehensive discussions catalysed momentum for deeper collaboration to strengthen quality healthcare delivery in the state. Together, this collaboration is pushing forward under SFH’s “Beyond Boundaries” strategy to make harm reduction a reality, because every life matters.
A360 Leveraging Technical Assistance to Strengthen State-Led ASRH Programmes Post-Exit
Last week, Adolescents360 Nigeria (A360) conducted a strategic technical assistance mission in Osun, Oyo, and Ogun States—former implementation sites of the 9ja Girls programme. The visit confirmed that one year after programme exit, adolescent girls aged 15–19 are still accessing essential sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services through government systems strengthened by A360. Key indicators of sustainability include the integration of Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) into Annual Operational Plans, dedicated budget lines for adolescent health, and state-level adoption of the Adolescent and Youth Health Development Policy. The 3-day technical assistance went beyond routine monitoring to assess system-level performance in family planning, especially ASRH sustainability. It also focused on improving service delivery, quality of care, community engagement, and data management. Collaborative sessions with state leaders aimed to develop practical, context-driven solutions to improve health outcomes for Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW).
Support from the Executive Secretaries of the State Primary Health Care Development Boards emphasised the high-level commitment to sustaining the 9ja Girls model. A notable highlight was the donation of hundreds of Counselling for Choice (C4C) toolkits, a proven approach that improves continuation rates for contraceptive methods. This addressed quality of care gaps uncovered during facility visits. Our technical assistance culminated in facilitated problem-solving sessions with LGA and State stakeholders. Despite progress, systemic barriers persist. These include frequent commodity stock-outs, staff attrition, and data quality issues, challenges that continue to restrict adolescent access to contraceptives. In response, A360 supported strategic planning with government partners to strengthen coordination, conduct refresher trainings, implement routine data audits, and improve commodity distribution. This technical assistance reinforced the need for government ownership, institutional integration, and targeted support to sustain adolescent health outcomes beyond project timelines.
SFH Welcomes Delegates from PharmAccess Foundation
Recently, the leadership of PharmAccess Foundation paid a courtesy visit to the leadership of Society for Family Health (SFH) to propose a partnership in their new market initiative, Safecare. In attendance were representatives from SFH, including the Deputy Managing Director, Strategy, Technical and Growth, Dr Jennifer Anyanti; Assistant Chief Programme Officer, Dr Anthony Nwala; Managing Director, SFH Access, Pharm Dennis Aizobu; and Country Manager, Partnerships and Collaborations DISC Project, Jennifer Adebambo. Representing PharmAccess were the Programme Director, Safecare, PharmAccess Foundation, Dada Ibironke; and the Country Manager, PharmAccess, Njide Ndili. The discussion focused on key themes such as scaling, licensing, and digitalising the innovation.
PharmAccess is an international non-profit organisation with a digital agenda dedicated to connecting more people in sub-Saharan Africa to better healthcare. During the course of the meeting, the PharmAccess team explained that while previous efforts in facilitation support, quality improvement, training, and assessments had been conducted manually, the new approach aims to leverage digital platforms. These platforms would streamline onboarding, task management, and training sessions with content targeted at a specific audience. Additionally, PharmAccess seeks to collaborate with both regional and national partners to strengthen implementation. SFH leadership actively engaged with the proposal, raising targeted questions around areas such as licensing plans, telemedicine standards, and the use of case studies. The meeting ended on a positive note, as both parties expressed alignment and mutual interest in moving forward with the proposed partnership.
SFH ePharma4FP holds Thinktank Meeting
From May 6th to 8th, 2025, the ePharma4FP Consortium convened for a high-level 3-day Think-Tank Meeting at BWC Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos, to consolidate insights from this phase of the project. This strategic gathering brought together all consortium partners—Society for Family Health, HealthPlus Pharmacy, Busara Centre for Behavioural Economics, and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Foundation (PSNF), as well as implementing team members and technical advisors. The goal was to reflect on learnings, document effective strategies, and co-create a practical Compendium of Learnings for use in future scale-up and advocacy. The meeting was designed around four key objectives: reviewing insights from both digital and community-based interventions; evaluating strategies used to overcome barriers to family planning (FP) access; co-developing actionable, cross-partner recommendations; and collaboratively drafting the consortium’s Compendium of Learnings. Over the three days, partners engaged in deep-dive presentations, breakout sessions, and strategic discussions to draw out what worked, what didn’t, and how the digital pharmacy model can be further optimised.
Weekly Quotes/Nuggets
Important updates to catch up with
Upcoming Webinar – World Hypertension Day 2025
Every year on May 17th, the world comes together to mark World Hypertension Day, a day dedicated to creating awareness about high blood pressure, one of the leading risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Hypertension often goes unnoticed until it’s too late, earning its nickname: the silent killer. This year, SFH Access invites you to a life-changing webinar designed to educate, inform, and empower you with the knowledge you need to take control of your health.
- Gain expert knowledge on preventing and managing high blood pressure.
- Learn practical tips to live a longer, healthier life.
- Ask questions directly to top medical experts.
- Be part of a global movement to reduce hypertension-related deaths.
Love to read previous News Reports?
- Hey, amazing content for you to engage with on all our social media platforms. We would love to see your comments, likes and reactions.😍
Feel free to also share our posts.
