SFH Nigeria Website 
News and Photo Stories -Week 45
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by
SFH IN THE NEWS
The Guardian, 28 October 2024
Lagos seeks shift to indigenous healthcare solutions, research.
The Lagos State government has underscored the need for strategic shifts toward research, innovation, and increased local production in the healthcare sector.
Speaking about Nigeria’s dependency on imports for essential healthcare supplies, including equipment, drugs, and vaccines, the state governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu, highlighted the importance of boosting the domestic pharmaceutical and bioeconomy sectors to drive economic resilience and public health advancements.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi at the inauguration of the Society for Family Health (SFH) Innovation Hub in Ikeja, dedicated to Prof Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, said the hub represents a vital step in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare capabilities by creating a collaborative environment where young, talented Nigerians can develop solutions to public health challenges.
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NAN, 1 November 2024
Sanwo-Olu inaugurates SFH’s innovation hub in Lagos
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has inaugurated the Society for Family Health (SFH) Innovation Hub to accelerate quality health solutions for families across Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu, represented by Prof. Akin Abayomi, the state Commissioner for Health, inaugurated the hub sited at Ikeja on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the building, spread across three floors, is to honour the memory of one of SFH’s founders and a former Minister of Health, Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti.
Sanwo-Olu said that innovation had always been a driving force behind advancements in health, revolutionising the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases.
According to him, the state and country have alarming health statistics that should bother all citizens, adding that almost all equipment, drugs, and vaccines used in the health sector are imported.
“We’re just beginning to make a dent into the pharmaceutical space. We’re beginning to make more varieties of pharmaceuticals in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos and Ogun state.
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Premium times, 3 November 2024
Katsina Govt partners with SFH to improve sexual reproductive health
The Katsina State Government says it is collaborating with Society for Family Health (SFH), to improve sexual reproductive health outcomes across its 34 Local Government Areas. The Executive Secretary, Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Shamsuddeen Yahaya disclosed this at a 3-day State Training of Trainers (ToT).
The training was on Empathy-Based Counseling and Counseling for Choice in Katsina, aimed to enhance health care in the state. Represented by the Director of Primary Health Care, Dr. Shema’u Kabir-Abba, Yahaya said the collaboration was through the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) 2.0 project. According to him, SFH in collaboration with the state government has launched the Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) 2.0 project across all 34 local government areas in Katsina state.
“This initiative focuses on strengthening healthcare delivery through the promotion of self-care solutions as part of a resilient health system, ensuring that families in the state, particularly women, have better access to health services. “The training, which is considered a cornerstone of the project’s success, equipped the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Coordinators across the state.
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SFH ACTIVITIES
Society for Family Health unveils Innovation Hub to Advance Healthcare in Nigeria
On November 1, 2024, Society for Family Health (SFH) launched a cutting-edge Innovation Hub in Ikeja, Lagos, solidifying its commitment to transformative healthcare solutions. The Hub honours the legacy of Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, a founding figure of SFH and a celebrated public health champion. Key dignitaries, including the Governor of Lagos, represented by the Hon. Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, and the President of SFH’s Board, Prof. Ekanem Ikpi Braide (OFR), gathered to witness this pivotal moment for healthcare innovation in Nigeria.
The Innovation Hub, a three-story complex, aims to foster collaboration among SFH’s 100+ Lagos-based staff, startups, think tanks, and health professionals. The Hub will focus on developing solutions in digital health and supply chain management, essential for driving progress toward universal health coverage. Prof. Braide expressed her optimism for this venture, highlighting SFH’s commitment to creativity, co-creation, and the adoption of adaptive solutions to address Nigeria’s healthcare challenges.
A central focus will be SFH’s digital health platform, SFH ACCESSCARE, which uses mobile technology to connect communities to essential health resources. Additionally, the Hub will work to strengthen healthcare supply chains with real-time inventory tracking, data-driven logistics, and strategic partnerships to ensure efficient delivery of vital health products, even to remote areas. SFH’s Managing Director, Dr. Omokhudu Idogho, underscored the Hub’s strategic importance in advancing sustainable solutions across SFH’s initiatives.
This new Hub embodies SFH’s vision for long-term, impactful healthcare transformation in Nigeria, fostering a culture of learning and partnership. Other notable attendees included the Hon. Commissioner of Health for Kwara State, Dr. Amina Ahmed El-Imam; Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos on Health, Mrs. Kemi Ogunyemi; Royal Majesty Dr. Olukunmi Olusesan Akingbola Ikudoro 1; and members of the SFH and SFH Access Boards, including Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, Dotun Ransome-Kuti, Dr. Onoriode Ezire, and Pharm. Johnson Olusitere.
SFH W4HL Organises Co-creation Workshop in Nasarawa State
As we approach the close of the WASH Healthy Lives (W4HL) Project Phase 3 intervention, our commitment to sustaining the project’s impact remains stronger than ever. To support this goal, we recently organised a two-day co-creation workshop aimed at identifying a sustainable income-generating activity (IGA) to provide financial stability for our CHIP agents in Nasarawa State.
These agents play a crucial role as Inter-Personal Communication Agents on the project, helping to promote WASH principles and practices at the community level. The workshop was a collaborative effort, bringing together representatives from SMEDAN, the State Ministry of Women Affairs, the State Ministry of Health, the Department of Public Health, and CHIP coordinators from the State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
The insights gained will guide our decision on the preferred IGA that can best support these agents in the long term. We are grateful to all our partners and participants for their input and dedication to this mission. Together, we are building a foundation for lasting impact in our communities.
ePharma4FP host IPCA Evaluation FOs Training and Field Pilot Testing
The ePharma4FP team have hosted a comprehensive training event for enumerators from 4th to 6th November at the Society for Family Health (SFH) Innovation Hub in Oregun, Ikeja. The training aimed to equip enumerators with essential skills to gather accurate insights into community perspectives, document experiences, and assess satisfaction levels among family planning users supported by Interpersonal Communication Agents (IPCAs).
This three-day programme was meticulously designed to address the practical challenges of data collection in diverse settings, ensuring that enumerators are well-prepared for effective fieldwork. The training emphasised understanding community needs to enhance the accessibility and impact of ePharmacy services for family planning resources.
The first day laid the groundwork with foundational training on data gathering techniques. Enumerators learned to identify key data points essential for shaping an inclusive ePharmacy experience tailored to family planning needs. This hands-on approach helped them grasp the importance of promoting informed family planning choices and the value of community-centered insights.
On the second day, participants engaged in simulation exercises, replicating real-world data collection scenarios. These simulations trained enumerators to navigate challenges such as language barriers, managing sensitive topics with empathy, and maintaining impartiality throughout the data collection process. Such exercises were crucial in preparing them to handle a range of field situations while upholding the highest ethical standards.
The final day marked the pilot testing phase, where enumerators conducted preliminary data collection activities. This initial testing allowed the team to refine survey instruments, clarify questions, and ensure a comprehensive approach to capturing user experiences. The insights gathered will contribute to a well-rounded understanding of user satisfaction and inform adjustments for the full-scale study.
SFH at Social Norms Conference 2024
Society for Family Nigeria participated in the 2024 Social Norms Conference on November 5-6 at the Abuja Continental Hotel. Our team engaged through exhibition booths, speaking sessions, and presentations (oral and poster).
Highlights included our work on tuberculosis stigma reduction in Kano, economic empowerment for adolescent girls in Ogun, hand-washing habits post-WASH intervention in Nasarawa and Edo, and improving health outcomes for young mothers and married adolescent girls in northern Nigeria.
We also contributed to a panel session on optimising healthcare by addressing socio-cultural norms in maternal and reproductive health and shared our insights to advance human capital development in Nigeria.
PROJECT ALERT
Longitudinal Investigation of Dynamics of Use of IUD in Africa (LIDIA)
LIDIA is Here
As a fallout from the SHINE project Hormonal Adopter Survey, SFH has been awarded a grant for a 5-year Hormonal IUD continuation study under the project, Longitudinal Investigation of Dynamics of Use of IUD in Africa (LIDIA).
Beginning from November 2024 to September 2029, the LIDIA project will document long-term continuation rates and factors influencing the discontinuation of the hormonal IUD in Nigeria, Kenya, and Malawi to inform future scale-up efforts of the method. SFH will lead the Nigerian bit in Oyo, Nasarawa, Ebonyi and Bauchi states.
LIDIA offers a unique opportunity to understand the cost-effectiveness, impact, and social return on investment of scaling up the hormonal IUD in low-resource settings in Africa. This will be the first trial in sub-Saharan Africa to explore continuation rates beyond two years for the hormonal IUD.
Expected outcomes include:
- Accurate estimates of per-unit cost for users and governments
- National and local-level FP decision making informed by users’ interest in the method over time
- Improved hormonal IUD programs and services informed by method experiences
- Assess the cost-effectiveness of the hormonal IUD compared to DMPA and implants
- Updated Couple-Years of Protection measure
Congratulations to SFH!!!
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