NIGERIA

About the Project

This project, run by Action Family Foundation, focuses on expanding the involvement of civil society organisations in the total Roll Back Malaria project to achieve the Millennium Development Goals in Lagos State in Southwest region of Nigeria.

About Action Family Foundation

Action Family Foundation (AFF) was established in 2000. The organisation focuses its activities on the family, health and healthcare safety, community development and social justice. It works to strengthen the family as a strategic point of intervention to promote health, provide care or prevent diseases. Applying primary health care interventions as a neutral entry node, AFF has been engaged in the areas of community health promotion, HIV/AIDS advocacy, prevention, provision of care and support for persons living with or affected by the disease as well as its impact mitigation even in difficult-to-access communities and volatile environments.

Background to the Project

Malaria is responsible for 30% under 5 child mortality and 11% maternal deaths in Nigeria. Over 60% of hospital visits is due to malaria. Annually, more than 50% of Nigeria’s 140 million people suffer at least an episode of malaria. The malaria toll is highest among the vulnerable groups - under fives, pregnant women and the aged. The annual economic loss to the Nigerian economy is in excess of one billion US dollars.

Nigeria’s government demonstrated political will in the fight against malaria by hosting the African Heads of states summit on malaria in 2000 wherein the Abuja Declaration and Targets emerged. A follow-up summit took place May 2006. A number of initiatives including the annual Africa Malaria Day celebrations are being implemented to roll back malaria in Nigeria. However coverage levels for key interventions are still low. This is due to the low level of involvement of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); the low degree of community mobilization, participation and ownership; and lack of capacity by many CSOs (NGOs, FBOs, media & CBOs) to effectively participate.

Aims of the Project

The project will adopt a three-pronged strategy of advocacy, partnership and capacity enhancement targeted at key public, private and civil society players, respectively. Specifically the project aims to do three things:

To persuade 10 pharmaceuticals manufacturers to implement a pilot project of delivering Roll Back Malaria commodities through CSOs to communities in 6 months
To persuade 10 commercial distributors of malaria prevention materials (ITNs, chemicals) to prime prices in favour of CSOs to serve as their community centres for such commodities within 5 months.
To build capacity of 30 partner CSOs on effective malaria control advocacy and service delivery within their host communities in 4 months.