Khadijah Aliyu
The Society for Family Health (SFH) has launched the Supporting Women’s Increased Access to Family Planning through Pharmacies and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (SWIFT) project.
This initiative aims to reduce maternal mortality and enhance women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria.
The three-year project, supported by the Gates Foundation, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria PCN and state governments, will focus on strengthening healthcare service delivery, increasing access to family planning, and empowering women-led businesses.
According to Dayyabu Mahmud Yusuf, Director of Health Systems Strengthening at SFH, the project will help women take charge of their health and enhance their financial independence.
“The initiative aims to optimize Community Pharmacies (CPs) and PPMVS as well as empower women-led businesses, helping to reduce economic inequalities, and contribute to poverty reduction and social mobility”
He explained that, in Kano State, the project seeks to bridge the gender gap in healthcare by training 1,321 female Community Pharmacists and PPMVs in family planning and entrepreneurship.
“Additionally, 400 new Female PPMVs will be established in the state”
“The SWIFT project will be implemented in Kano, Kaduna, and Lagos States, with the goal of promoting gender equity, reducing economic inequalities, and contributing to poverty reduction and social mobility”
The Kano state commissioner for health Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf represented by the permanent secretary of the ministry Pharmacist Aminu Bashir noted that the family planning intervention will go a long way in crashing maternal mortality.
He hinted that empowering Women to provide family planning services will improve service delivery to achieve the desired objectives.
The director Pharmaceutical services Kano State Ministry of Health Pharmacist Kamilu Mudi Salisu described the SWIFT initiative as apt, saying that introducing more female PPMVs and CPs will motivate women to access family planning services.
“The aim is for them to make a profit, there will be support from financial institutions they will form corporate bodies to access loans in the group, repayment will not be a problem to them”
Paradigm News reports that, others who spoke include the chairperson Tudun Wada local government area, Hajiya Saadatu Salisu Yusha’u, chairman Lafiya Jari Kano Alhaji Muhammad Sani Ibrahim, among others.
They pledged to provide all the necessary support at the grass root level to crash maternal Mortality.