May 2025 - eHealth Africa

Emergency Operations Centers Are Lifesaving Investments in Coordinated Public Health Response

Posted on May 29, 2025May 29, 2025 by Moshood Isah

When there is a public health emergency, like a disease outbreak or a pandemic, the speed at which public health stakeholders respond can make a big difference. It can either stop things from escalating or help bring the situation under control quickly. One of the biggest challenges in such scenarios is timely coordination among key stakeholders capable of responding to the emergency.

Without a central place for everyone to meet, share information, and make quick decisions, efforts can easily become scattered. This leads to duplication, wasted resources, and missed opportunities. In a crisis, that can cost lives. What’s needed is a strong system that helps governments and partners work hand in hand, swiftly and strategically.

Since the establishment of Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in 11 states across Nigeria, led by eHealth Africa with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the story is beginning to change. States are now better equipped to respond swiftly, coordinate effectively, and save more lives during public health emergencies.

*Capacity building ongoing at Kebbi EOC*

The Commissioner of Primary Healthcare in Niger State, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed Dangana, confirmed this when he described the EOC as a critical pillar in the state’s public health emergency preparedness and response. Since its establishment, the EOC has successfully connected all 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in real time, enabling virtual meetings, streamlined data reporting, and rapid response to health emergencies, including childhood killer diseases like cholera and meningitis outbreaks.

“Before this center, transporting health workers for meetings was costly and inefficient. Now, we can convene hybrid sessions, access real-time data, and make quick, informed decisions,” he explained.

Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Fatima Ibrahim, the Incident Manager of the Niger State EOC, emphasized that public health is not a one-person job. She noted that the EOC’s coordinating power has made it possible to identify and leverage the unique strengths of each stakeholder, leading to more effective and unified emergency responses.

Citing a key example, Dr. Fatima shared, “During campaigns, with support from our data team at the EOC, we receive real-time analysis showing areas with high and low vaccination coverage.” According to her, this timely data enables swift action by mobilizing teams to reach underserved areas. “For instance, we identified Mashegu as a zero-dose LGA. With data from the EOC, we were able to track ongoing efforts, spot critical gaps, and bring all partners together to plan and respond collectively,” she explained.

Key public health partners have also hailed the immense impact of the EOC and the value it adds to their interventions. According to Samuel Okolo, the Niger State Lead for Sydani Group, partners are now able to coordinate and collaborate with traditional leaders for effective community mobilization, monitoring, and response.

Highlighting the power of collaboration, he shared a memorable example: “Following a partners’ meeting at the EOC, we received word that the Emir of Kagara (an LGA in Niger State) wanted to meet with the team. Fortunately, everyone was still at the center. The Incident Manager quickly mobilized the group, and we met with the Emir.” Meeting stakeholders in full capacity, the Emir not only expressed his commitment to addressing vaccine non-compliance but also pledged to visit the EOC in person—a powerful gesture of support for strengthening immunization coverage in the state.

It is especially encouraging to hear the Commissioner of Primary Healthcare in Niger State reaffirm the state’s commitment to EOC sustainability. “This initiative may have started with donor support, but sustainability is already built in. The state has fully embraced it, with budgetary provisions and strong political will to maintain and expand the facility,” he said.

The impact of Emergency Operations Centers speaks volumes about what’s possible when strategic investment meets local leadership and innovation. These centers are lifelines in moments of crisis, enhancing coordination and rapid response. As we look toward a future filled with increasingly complex public health challenges, continued support from partners and donors will be vital to scale this impact and protect more lives.

No Missed Child, No Rejection of Vaccines”: A Traditional Leader’s Voice in Vaccine Advocacy

Posted on May 20, 2025May 21, 2025 by Moshood Isah

*eHealth Africa meets traditional leader in Gwandu, Kebbi state*

By Joyce Shinyi

“I once told vaccinators that if you find even one household that refuses vaccines in this community, I will give you $200. They went around and found none.”
– Alhaji Sani Umar Jabdi, District Head of Gagi and Sarkin Yakin Gagi, Sokoto State

In Gagi, a rural community in Sokoto State, Northern Nigeria, the fight against Circulating Variant Poliovirus and other vaccine-preventable diseases is being led not just from Primary Healthcare facilities, but also from the palaces of traditional leaders across the region.

Alhaji Sani Umar Jabdi is one of such leaders. Beyond settling community disputes, he has become a powerful advocate for immunization, championing vaccines as a means of protecting every child in his domain.

His commitment is part of the Engaging Traditional Institutions (ETI) project by eHealth Africa (eHA), in collaboration with the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, Chigari Foundation, and other key partners. The intervention has strengthened advocacy by traditional leaders, increased community ownership of polio eradication efforts, and reduced vaccine hesitancy in high-risk Northern states.

“I am a community gatekeeper,” Alhaji Umar Jabdi said. “My role is to bridge the gap between the community and service providers, the community and the government, between the community and development partners. This time, immunization is the top priority.”

“I ensure we reach out to every eligible child, no missed child, no rejections, and ensure we reach 100% coverage in immunization.”

In a bid to build visible trust through their leadership, Umar Jabdi and other district heads publicly immunize their children during campaign flag-offs. This method has been modeled by even the highest level of traditional leadership, like the Sultan of Sokoto. Following the Sultan’s lead, all 87 district heads in Sokoto did the same.

According to Alhaji Umar, “The Sultan loves all our children, he believes in vaccines, he is 100% sure that it protects from paralysis and deadly diseases, and we trust him 100%, so when he brings his child forward, we follow.”

Just like other communities, this strategy has paid off in Gagi. Vaccine acceptance is high! Community members trust the process because their leaders are part of it. “I once told evaluators that if you find even one household that refuses vaccines in this community, I will give you $200. They went around and found none.” Umar Jabdi boasted.

Through Engaging Traditional Institutions, traditional leaders like him are not only using their influence to improve vaccine uptake and support stronger community health systems, but are also receiving continuous technical support. “Under the Engaging Traditional Institutions intervention led by the Sultan Foundation (with support from eHealth Africa), we are mentored, coached, and trained regularly,” he says. “They visit palace by palace to guide us, correct us, and strengthen our ability to promote vaccination the right way.”

The visible results are hard to ignore. “This is the cold season, but we’ve not seen a whooping cough, we no longer see measles in our community. Routine immunization is working, and children are safe.” he says.

He calls for more support from other stakeholders to further boost success. “If more partners can support this engagement, we can expand outreach. We can engage more religious leaders, more women, town halls, traditional media, and even social media. There are rumors online that we need help countering.”

He also believes the model should expand to other traditional rulers who have not yet received the same capacity building. “Many of my colleagues are intelligent and capable, they just need the training and the opportunity. If we are empowered, we can protect our people better.”

Above all, he insists that community ownership is key. “If you come to our health facility today, you will see the evidence: zero home deliveries, children with immunization cards. The people are involved because they trust us.”

“We are doing this,” he says firmly, “and we will continue doing it until we die. No paralyzed child, no disease that could have been prevented.”

The Engaging Traditional Institutions intervention is positioning traditional rulers not just as custodians of culture, but as protectors of health. By building on existing trust, it is laying the foundation for stronger, more resilient health systems across underserved communities. For eHealth Africa, this kind of transformation is the goal of the Engaging Traditional Institutions project, using trusted traditional institutions to drive change in underserved communities.

BISKIT: Bridging the Gap in Blood Information Management System

Posted on May 8, 2025May 8, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By – Fatima Abdulaziz Ayomitide

The persistent and critical blood shortage in Nigerian hospitals, as revealed by the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA) in December 2024, shows that Nigeria can only meet less than 30% of its blood transfusion needs. This severe deficit creates a life-threatening situation for patients and strains hospital resources, particularly during emergencies. The World Health Organization has also estimated that 1.5 million units of blood are needed annually to meet healthcare demands, yet only about 500,000 units are collected each year. This shortfall of nearly 67% has serious implications for patient care. Emergency cases often depend on last-minute donations, and in some instances, the available stock is either insufficient or compromised due to poor storage practices.

Underlying this crisis is a deeper issue of uncertainty. Donors, even those who regularly volunteer, are often left questioning where their blood goes, who it helps, and whether it makes the intended impact. This lack of transparency discourages participation, especially among first-time donors.

Evidence suggests that potential blood donors in African countries are more inclined to donate when they have a clearer understanding of how their contributions are utilized. Recognizing this desire for transparency and impact, a team of researchers and technologists began exploring how digital tools could build trust and improve the efficiency of the blood donation system.

Among them is Mohammed-Faosy Adeniran, the Project Manager for BISKIT, short for The Blood Information System for Crisis Intervention and Management (BISKIT), a mobile-based platform developed by eHealth Africa to address some of these critical gaps. “We realized the problem wasn’t a lack of willingness to donate but a disconnect between that willingness and actual blood requests. There were willing donors on one end, and urgent needs on the other, but no real-time system to link them.”

According to him, eHealth Africa is currently piloting the use of BISKIT at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano state. This is in a bid to standardize the digitization of blood information and management systems. During this implementation, the application allows users, donors, health workers, hospitals, and blood banks to manage and track blood donations from start to finish. Built with offline and mobile capabilities, BISKIT can function even in areas with limited internet access, ensuring wider reach and usability.

Halima Kabir Abdulkadir, a Research Assistant whose role involves performing cross-matching for patients, emphasized the complexity of managing donor and recipient data. “It contains a lot of information from the donors to the recipients. Having everything tracked in one system helps reduce errors and makes the process more efficient.”

For instance, when a health worker submits a request, nearby donors registered on the app are notified immediately. Through this direct and efficient channel, response times are reduced significantly.

Beyond logistics, the app also focuses on building trust. For donors, BISKIT offers a more transparent experience. They receive updates about their donations, pre-book appointments, and are guided through the donation process especially helpful for newcomers. “People just want to know their effort counts,” said Faosy. “The feedback we’ve received shows that donors are more encouraged to return when they can see the impact of their contribution.”

He added that the BISKIT application seeks to tackle structural issues like blood wastage. By integrating Geographic Information Systems and barcode tracking, BISKIT makes it easier to monitor the location and condition of blood bags, helping prevent mishandling or loss.

While still in its early stages of rollout, the platform has already shown promise. In pilot locations like Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano state, health workers report faster donor mobilization and fewer delays in emergency response.

Ultimately, BISKIT presents a compelling case for how technology can bridge gaps in public health systems, especially in contexts where trust, efficiency, and transparency are critical. Whether this model can scale across the country or even regionally remains to be seen. But for now, the app offers a practical solution to an urgent problem and a hopeful shift toward a more connected and accountable blood donation ecosystem.

Fatimah Azeez-Ayodele Ayomitide is a communications intern at eHealth Africa

How Free Medication from eHealth Africa Transformed Hafsat’s Life

Posted on May 1, 2025May 6, 2025 by Moshood Isah

By Moshood Isah

In Kano, Nigeria—where healthcare resources are often limited—Hafsat’s story stands as a powerful testament to hope and transformation, made possible through the free medication initiative under eHealth Africa’s ‘Digitizing for Impact: Improving Rural Access to Integrated Services for NCDs in Nigeria (DIIAN)’ intervention.

Struggling with hypertension and an ulcer for years, Hafsat’s health journey was full of frustration and uncertainty. Yet, after discovering the EHA REACH Clinic, a key partner in the DIIAN intervention offering free, targeted care, her life took a turn for the better.

*How Free Medication from the DIIAN Transformed Hafsat’s Life*

Hafsat had long battled high blood pressure, a condition that made daily life difficult. Along with the hypertension, she also suffered from an ulcer. Her first response was to visit multiple hospitals in search of relief. “I visited four hospitals in the community,” she recalled. “But the doctors would just tell me to avoid salty foods and prescribe medication, which didn’t seem to help much.” Despite these efforts, her condition continued to worsen, and the burden of managing her health became overwhelming.

Hafsat eventually sought alternative treatment at other hospitals, hoping for a clearer diagnosis and solution. However, her visits were met with confusion. “They told me my condition wasn’t clear, and I was referred to other hospitals. It felt like I was running in circles. Nothing seemed to work.”

In the midst of these frustrating experiences, Hafsat learned about the REACH Clinic, a local healthcare facility that was part of the DIIAN project and provided free medication for patients with chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. “I live close to the clinic, so I knew about it. When I found out they were offering free medication, I decided to give it a try,” Hafsat explained.

The change was immediate. Upon her first visit to the REACH Clinic, Hafsat was welcomed by a team of professionals who immediately began managing her hypertension with the right medication. “The difference was so clear. At other hospitals, I was often told they didn’t have the medication I needed or I would get prescriptions that didn’t seem to work. But at the REACH Clinic, they gave me the proper treatment,” Hafsat said, her voice filled with relief.

Over time, Hafsat’s health improved significantly. The swelling in her body, a common symptom of her hypertension, began to subside. “The swelling stopped, and I felt much better,” she recalled. “Before, I was taking medicine that wasn’t effective, but the medication I received here really worked.”

For Hafsat, the experience of receiving free, reliable care has not only alleviated her physical symptoms but also restored her sense of hope. “Now, when I run out of medication, I don’t worry. I know I can come back and get more,” she said, smiling.

The impact of the DIIAN project, and particularly the REACH Clinic’s provision of free medication, has been profound for Hafsat. “I want others to know that they don’t have to suffer the way I did. I used to feel hopeless, but now I am doing well. I encourage anyone who has high blood pressure or diabetes to get treatment, it makes all the difference,” she urged.

Looking forward, Hafsat’s outlook on life has been transformed. “I may not have any major ambitions right now, but I just want to stay healthy and continue receiving the care that has helped me so much. I am grateful for everything the REACH Clinic has done for me,” she concluded.

For Hafsat, the free medication provided through the DIIAN project has been life-changing, offering her a new sense of wellbeing and hope. Her story highlights the crucial role of accessible healthcare in improving the lives of vulnerable individuals and underscores the importance of initiatives that support those in need.

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