Nigeria: Improving Primary Health Care (2011-2014)
Highlights
- Development of the Primary Health Care Specialist (Midlevel Provider) Curriculum for Nigeria. Centers for Disease Control, Grant # 5-D43 TW 01041 (03/15/11–12/29/12) IHV University of Maryland AIRTRP in Nigeria, Brazil, the Caribbean grant Subcontract to School of Nursing. Development of an innovative, advanced practice nurse and community health officer curriculum for sub-Saharan Africa. The Primary Health Care Specialist Award. Johnson, PI; Ogbolu Co-Investigator (2011-2012).
- Impact of Hospital Organizational Characteristics on Neonatal Mortality and Prevention of Maternal to Child Transmission in Nigeria. Centers for Disease Control, Grant # 5-D43 TW 01041 (03/15/10–03/29/11) IHV University of Maryland AIRTRP in Nigeria, Brazil, the Caribbean grant; Fogarty Fellow Award Mixed Method Study to Examine the Impact of Hospital Organizational Characteristics on Neonatal Mortality in Nigeria and Prevention of Maternal to Child Transmission of HIV. Ogbolu PI-Dissertation Research (2010-2011).
- Lived experiences of health care providers caring for neonates in Nigeria. Qualitative study. Funder, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Global Health Network Grant. Ogbolu, PI (2008).
Background
Primary obstacles to meeting the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and now the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are often linked to weak healthcare infrastructure and scarcity of human resources for health, including the lack of a qualified health care workforce to provide for the needs of maternal and child health and populations with HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. In Nigeria, the main point of free, accessible health care is the primary health care center, yet the quality of care available in these centers is often inadequate and contributes to the poor health outcomes found in the Nigerian population. Today, Nigeria has one of the highest mortality rates worldwide, particularly among women and children. The majority of these deaths are preventable.
Like many developing countries in Africa and throughout the world, nurses and community health officers (CHOs) are the backbone of Nigeria’s health care system. Nurses and CHOs are often asked to engage in clinical and public health leadership responsibilities for which they have no education or training. This is particularly common at the primary health care level, where a nurse and/or CHO is often the sole health care worker in the facility. Expanding the capacity of frontline workers is a critical aspect of building sustainable health care systems and will require innovative educational programs based on the specific realities that exist in Nigeria.
Collaborative Outcome
One innovative educational initiative is the Primary Health Care Specialist (PHC-S) Diploma Program developed by UMSON's Office of Global Health working closely with the UMB School of Medicine’s Institute of Human Virology (IHV) in Baltimore and in Nigeria; Nigerian nurse leaders from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. This 12-month advanced diploma program was designed to rapidly and effectively address the immediate human resource needs that exist in Nigeria and meet the need for greater competency and skill development in the primary health care sector. The PHC-S program specifically addresses the burden of disease in Nigeria, including essential aspects of prevention and treatment for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, infant and child health, as well as common adult health problems such as diabetes and hypertension. The PHC-S will serve primarily as an expert independent clinician who can conduct assessments and diagnoses and provide treatment and personalized health care for individuals and families.