WHO plays a coordinating role in Health Sector efforts in Nigeria, while contributing to COVID-19 and other needs across the board.
The Health Sector’s response to COVID-19 in Nigeria builds on existing efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in the country’s northeastern region, bringing together all relevant sectors and partners, including national governmental authorities, non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, academic and training institutes, donor agencies and the affected population.
Efforts prioritize preventing the spread of COVID-19 in internally-displaced persons camps and camp-like settings.
The response build on existing assets and resources present in the country, encouraging local-level sector partners to contribute in their areas of expertise for a flexible and decentralized response.
"One major priority is to address the misconceptions and stigma around COVID-19, both for patients and healthcare workers," noted WHO’s Mr Muhammad Shafiq, Nigeria Health Sector Coordinator.
The Health Sector engaged with the OCHA community mobilization working group, community teams in the WASH Sector, and community healthcare workers in the Polio eradication programs to leverage their networks and skills, producing a public service campaign celebrating discharged COVID-19 patients as heroes for having defeated the disease.
Partners are also working closely with local influencers such as community and religious leaders to provide clear messaging on COVID-19 prevention and treatment.
WHO guidelines support most aspects of the response. For example, among other actions, following WHO guidelines, Health Sector partner the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) is working to train both healthcare workers and state burial teams in infection prevention and control (IPC) measures.
Meanwhile, in the south of the country, the WHO has supported Anambra State in collaboration with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, training 42 personnel from 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs), including laboratory scientists/technicians and scientific officers, in test sample management.
This supports the efforts of Anambra state government-created Rapid Response Teams in active case search at community level.
The facilitators were trained on how to correctly collect, package, and transport COVID-19 samples in the state. Earlier in April, a virtual training on COVID-19 sample management was also conducted. WHO invested in training samples collectors across the state because it directly contributes to the realization of government's goal of decentralizing the COVID-19 response to enable states and LGAs take ownership.
Once fully strengthened, LGAs are expected to become the operational hub of the pandemic response, to guarantee long term sustainability of the response."