By: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
Sequel to the implementation of the Project 10 Million across the country, the Cross River state government has identified seven thematic areas to effectively drive the project in the state.
Project 10 Million is an initiative of the Nigerian Health Commissioners’ Forum to be executed in partnership with professional bodies, developmental agencies, and Donors, aimed at screening 10 million Nigerians for hypertension and diabetes across the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT within a 7 days period in October, 2024.
In Cross River State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk delegated the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, to coordinate the Project in close relationship with the Ministry’s Health Promotion Unit.
A statement issued by the Coordinator, Dr. Ekpo Ekpo Bassey outlined the seven thematic areas to include: Stakeholder Engagement, Health Promotion, Logistics and Supplies, Clinical/Laboratory/Nursing Services, Monitoring and Evaluation, Data Management (Logistics and Service Data), and Orientation.
Under Stakeholder Engagement, the Project’s planning committee would be responsible for conducting advocacy to the office of the wife of the Governor to lead the effort, with Heads of Local Government Administration coordinating activities at local level.
He informed that the team with also conduct advocacy to key stakeholders including development partners to secure endorsements and resources, hold consultative meetings, mobilize healthcare professionals and train them on screening protocols and data collection, draft policy briefs highlighting key findings from the screening campaign, advocate for increased funding and resources for NCD management based on campaign outcomes, present the findings to relevant government bodies, development partners, and the public, engage with policymakers to strengthen national and state-level NCD response strategies, as well as launch follow-up initiatives to sustain awareness and treatment efforts.
For Health Promotion, Dr. Bassey said robust media campaigns would be launched to raise awareness about Project 10 Million. He noted that the team would engage influential media personalities and use multiple channels (TV, radio, social media, etc.) to disseminate information, develop and distribute IEC materials in local languages, organize community health talks, focusing on lifestyle modification and NCD prevention, distribute educational materials and provide counselling on healthy living.
The Logistics and Supplies Area, the Coordinator mentioned, is concerned with the procurement and distribution of necessary screening equipment (e.g., blood pressure monitors, glucometers) and treatment supplies to all LGAs of the state. He added that it will also liaise with pharmaceutical companies for the supply of medications for immediate treatment.
The Special Adviser hinted that Clinical/Laboratory/Nursing Services Area is responsible for the deployment of screening teams across designated locations in all the LGAs, conduct blood pressure, blood glucose and BMI screenings, provide immediate counselling, and initiate treatment where necessary, and use the data platform to report daily screening outcomes to the central command centre.
Monitoring and Evaluation, as it implies, would see to continuous monitoring during the event week to ensure adherence to protocols and timely troubleshooting, post-event evaluation to assess the impact and outcomes of the campaign, providing a foundation for future initiatives.
The statement said the Data Management (Logistics and Service Data) team is to analyze screening data to identify trends and patterns in NCD prevalence, integrate the data into the National Health Information System (NHMIS), and explore opportunities to absorb patients with positive screening results into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
The team is also to develop a data platform for real-time reporting of screening results, train state health data officers and local health workers on using the platform and establish a central command center for data aggregation and monitoring; while the Orientation Thematic Area handles orientation meetings for all personnel to be involved in the project implementation.
The objective of Project is to screen 10 million Nigerians for hypertension and diabetes, promoting early detection, prevention, and control of cardiometabolic diseases, using the slogan – “Know Your Numbers, Control Your Numbers?”
“Knowing one’s vital health metrics, the initiators say, empowers one to take timely actions and make right decision concerning their health; while controlling them prevents complications that may arise from ignorance or neglect”.
According to the Nigerian Health Commissioners’ Forum noted, “The screening will include blood pressure and blood sugar tests to detect hypertension and diabetes, alongside other anthropometric measurements that pertain to the health of the heart, blood vessels and general body metabolism processes.
“The screening process is safe and uses standard, point-of-care testing equipments, the body concluded”.
