CHIPS  Program to Address Poor Health Indices In Rural Communities – NPHCDA BOSS

By Prudence Ijah Abuja – May 1, 2019

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), has said that the Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS) Program that was first launched in Nasarawa state has witnessed an improvement in the health outcomes in the state.

The Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who disclosed this at the first Review of the CHIPS program said he seeks to strengthen community level primary health care in Nigeria. He added that through the training of 580 CHIPS agents, almost 4,000 pregnant women have been visited at home by the CHIPS agents while there has been an increase in antenatal uptake by 45%.

Faisal said “the CHIPS program is part of government’s plan to achieve Universal health coverage by ensuring that no one is left behind”.

While presenting an overview of the CHIPS program, Nana Sanadah hinted that 2,300 children have been reached with medical care through the CHIPS agents.

According to Sanadah, “the CHIPS agents work in the communities, to ensure Children who are sick receive immediate medical care, while pregnant women are encouraged to register and attend antenatal health care and deliver their babies at the health care facilities, they also offer first aid services to members of the community and ensure they are referred to the facilities “.

The representative of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Dr Anisur Siddique said the CHIPS initiative which ran for one year in the pilot state Nasarawa state and experienced a grand success is an indication that it will be a game changer in public health initiative towards improving maternal health indices and reducing mortality rates in the country.

Siddique in his words reaffirmed the commitment of global partners by saying that ” CHIPS program is a reality and the global partners will be behind CHIPS”.

Part of the activities at the first CHIPS program review  meeting was the conferment of CHIPS champions to key stakeholders who will ensure increase in program visibility. The champions are, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Women Affairs, the United Nations Population Fund  Country representative Dr Eugene Konguy, and UNICEF country representative.

Responding on behalf of the CHIPS Champions, the UNFPA Country representative who applauded the CHIPS program said to leave no one behind, then everyone must be reached through the CHIPS program.

The CHIPS program when scaled up to other states of the country is expected to cater to the needs of members of rural communities especially hard to reach areas in order to achieve improved access and uptake of health care services.