Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi states
BackgroundNigeria has a national policy on neglected tropical diseases (NTD) which is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and integrated into the health system at all government levels. A network of grassroots mobilizers, named community drug distributors (CDDs), deliver NTD drugs and comm...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281091/full |
| _version_ | 1827380389950259200 |
|---|---|
| author | Sunday Atobatele Sunday Atobatele Sidney Sampson Akolade U. Jimoh Saheed D. Isiaka Saheed D. Isiaka Oluwafisayo Ayodeji Joshua C. David Victor Daniel Oluwafunmilayo Dehinbo |
| author_facet | Sunday Atobatele Sunday Atobatele Sidney Sampson Akolade U. Jimoh Saheed D. Isiaka Saheed D. Isiaka Oluwafisayo Ayodeji Joshua C. David Victor Daniel Oluwafunmilayo Dehinbo |
| author_sort | Sunday Atobatele |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundNigeria has a national policy on neglected tropical diseases (NTD) which is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and integrated into the health system at all government levels. A network of grassroots mobilizers, named community drug distributors (CDDs), deliver NTD drugs and commodities to rural and hard-to-reach communities throughout Nigeria.MethodsInterviews with state and local government coordinators of Nigerian NTD programs and focus group discussions with CDDs in Yobe and Ebonyi states were conducted to understand the working modalities of NTD programs in Nigeria to identify the potential of leveraging the NTD structure for additional health interventions such as COVID-19 vaccine rollouts. Collected data was coded and managed on NVivo version 12 using content analysis.Results and discussionThe study found that the NTD committee had the following: a structured planning and coordination process, a community mobilization approach for the effective delivery of routine Mass Administration of Medication (MAM) activities. Challenges encountered included little or no incentives for the CDDs, insecurity, transportation and logistics, and lack of equipment and drug commodities. Nigerian NTD health structures have a wide reach, with a presence in all states and local government areas (LGAs), and this has previously been leveraged to deliver commodities and interventions to rural and hard-to-reach communities for non-NTD health programs and could thus be used similarly for COVID-19 vaccination programs. The enablers of integrating health interventions into the NTD structure are increased availability of finances and manpower, while lack of financial incentives and partners’ buy-in were identified as possible. challenges.ConclusionThe study suggests that integrating COVID-19 interventions into the NTD program in Nigeria would be a significant accomplishment, as the existing structure can support future interventions. The study also highlights the efficiency of the NTD program’s modalities and processes, indicating that an organized structural system for public health interventions can. increase the services of existing interventions while allowing for the integration of future interventions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T13:33:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04d39da171ea4e09af02a6755e94248a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T13:33:02Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-04d39da171ea4e09af02a6755e94248a2024-01-17T04:30:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652024-01-011110.3389/fpubh.2023.12810911281091Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi statesSunday Atobatele0Sunday Atobatele1Sidney Sampson2Akolade U. Jimoh3Saheed D. Isiaka4Saheed D. Isiaka5Oluwafisayo Ayodeji6Joshua C. David7Victor Daniel8Oluwafunmilayo Dehinbo9Sydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Institute for Research and Innovation, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Institute for Research and Innovation, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaSydani Group, FCT, Abuja, NigeriaBackgroundNigeria has a national policy on neglected tropical diseases (NTD) which is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and integrated into the health system at all government levels. A network of grassroots mobilizers, named community drug distributors (CDDs), deliver NTD drugs and commodities to rural and hard-to-reach communities throughout Nigeria.MethodsInterviews with state and local government coordinators of Nigerian NTD programs and focus group discussions with CDDs in Yobe and Ebonyi states were conducted to understand the working modalities of NTD programs in Nigeria to identify the potential of leveraging the NTD structure for additional health interventions such as COVID-19 vaccine rollouts. Collected data was coded and managed on NVivo version 12 using content analysis.Results and discussionThe study found that the NTD committee had the following: a structured planning and coordination process, a community mobilization approach for the effective delivery of routine Mass Administration of Medication (MAM) activities. Challenges encountered included little or no incentives for the CDDs, insecurity, transportation and logistics, and lack of equipment and drug commodities. Nigerian NTD health structures have a wide reach, with a presence in all states and local government areas (LGAs), and this has previously been leveraged to deliver commodities and interventions to rural and hard-to-reach communities for non-NTD health programs and could thus be used similarly for COVID-19 vaccination programs. The enablers of integrating health interventions into the NTD structure are increased availability of finances and manpower, while lack of financial incentives and partners’ buy-in were identified as possible. challenges.ConclusionThe study suggests that integrating COVID-19 interventions into the NTD program in Nigeria would be a significant accomplishment, as the existing structure can support future interventions. The study also highlights the efficiency of the NTD program’s modalities and processes, indicating that an organized structural system for public health interventions can. increase the services of existing interventions while allowing for the integration of future interventions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281091/fullintegrationhealth interventionneglected tropical diseases (NTD)community drug distributors (CDDs)service delivery and mass administration of medicine (MAM) |
| spellingShingle | Sunday Atobatele Sunday Atobatele Sidney Sampson Akolade U. Jimoh Saheed D. Isiaka Saheed D. Isiaka Oluwafisayo Ayodeji Joshua C. David Victor Daniel Oluwafunmilayo Dehinbo Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi states Frontiers in Public Health integration health intervention neglected tropical diseases (NTD) community drug distributors (CDDs) service delivery and mass administration of medicine (MAM) |
| title | Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi states |
| title_full | Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi states |
| title_fullStr | Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi states |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi states |
| title_short | Integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases: lessons learned from Yobe and Ebonyi states |
| title_sort | integrating health intervention into existing program structure of the neglected tropical diseases lessons learned from yobe and ebonyi states |
| topic | integration health intervention neglected tropical diseases (NTD) community drug distributors (CDDs) service delivery and mass administration of medicine (MAM) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281091/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sundayatobatele integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT sundayatobatele integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT sidneysampson integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT akoladeujimoh integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT saheeddisiaka integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT saheeddisiaka integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT oluwafisayoayodeji integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT joshuacdavid integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT victordaniel integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates AT oluwafunmilayodehinbo integratinghealthinterventionintoexistingprogramstructureoftheneglectedtropicaldiseaseslessonslearnedfromyobeandebonyistates |