NGO Targets 5,000 Clients In Nigeria Health Services By December

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), specialized in the provision of health services, mothers2mothers (m2m), on Wednesday, said it is targeting 5, 000 clients in Nigeria by December, 2024.

The president of mothers2mothers, Frank Beadle de Paloma said stated this in Abuja on Wednesday at the official launch of m2m in the country.

He said: “we started our operations here in Nigeria in July. We have deployed 15 mentor mothers across five facilities and surrounding communities in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Already, their impact is being felt. We set a target to enrol 5,000 clients into our services by December 31, and I am proud to share that we have already enrolled over 3,000.

“We are already planning our next steps. I am pleased to share that we have just trained a new cohort of 30 mentor mothers who have recently started working in 21 additional sites”.

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He explained that the organization aims to eradicate diseases particularly HIV transmission from mother to child, as well as reduce maternal mortality rate in Nigeria.

According to him, “For over two decades, mothers2mothers has dedicated itself to eradicating pediatric HIV and supporting mothers and children in some of the most underserved communities on our continent.

“Since our beginnings in 2001 at a single site in Cape Town, South Africa, we have expanded our reach across the African continent. Today’s launch makes Nigeria the 11th African country we are currently working in. Over the past 20 years, we have maintained our focus on ending paediatric HIV, while also evolving to provide integrated primary healthcare and educational support to women, children, and families through our peer-led, community-centred Mentor Mother model.

“Nigeria is a country of incredible diversity and resilience; however, it also faces significant health challenges, particularly in combatting HIV. Currently, just 34 per cent of women receive HIV treatment and care services. Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate is 512 per 100,000 live births…seven times higher than the 2030 SDG target. Meanwhile, the under-five mortality rate is 104 per 1,000, four times the SDG target. Behind these statistics are real families suffering because of preventable death or illness. I am sure we will all agree there is an urgent need to expand access to essential healthcare, particularly for mothers and young children.”

Speaking earlier at the event, the country director for mothers2mothers in Nigeria, Dr. Chinyerem Frances Immanuel, said “This is an exciting day for mothers2mothers, and me personally, as we formally launch m2m’s program in Nigeria. m2m is an African primary health care organization, that for 23 years has been employing women living with HIV as community health workers across 10 African countries.
Nigeria is m2m’s newest country of operation, and the 11th country in which m2m is working.

“At m2m, our vision is that Health for All Brings Opportunity for All. This is the big picture of the world we want to help create. While we’re focused on health care, we know that good health is the bedrock of opportunity, and people realizing their full potential. Our mission is to bring health care
to families who need it most, delivered by women who know them best.”

Dr. Chinyerem further said “As a leader and agenda setter on the African continent, we are excited to be able to begin to work in Nigeria to bring this vision to life. And we know our proven model can make a significant difference for many Nigerian families. Nigeria, with a population of over 240 million people
across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, faces significant health challenges, particularly in combatting HIV. While HIV prevalence stands at
1.3 per cent among those aged 15 to 49, this translates to nearly 1.9 million people living with HIV. In 2023 alone, it was estimated that 94,000 pregnant mothers living with HIV would require life-saving antiretroviral treatment.”