Health

Globally, significant progress has been made in improving the health of millions of people such as- increasing life expectancy, reducing maternal and child mortality, and fighting against leading communicable diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa.

However, in Nigeria, there is still so much to be done. For instance, according to the Federal Ministry of Health, it has one of the highest maternal mortality rates (MMR) in the world with over 40,000 maternal deaths occurring yearly. Among women, there is a high rate of communicable diseases such as Hepatitis A & B, HIV/AIDS, STDs and non-communicable diseases including diabetes and hypertension which go unreported. Thousands of children still die from preventable diseases like malaria, fever, and diarrhea.

The prevalence of these diseases and deaths occur in remote areas where chronic poverty fosters unhygienic living conditions. Rural populations lack access to health care services; some villages have no Primary Health Care service (PHCs) and if there is any, is usually overcrowded, ill-equipped and understaffed. Since most cannot afford to travel to the urban areas to receive quality healthcare, they are left to fate.

JHF realizes the urgent need to pay utmost attention to the health of women in rural communities. That is why we are working to promote good health and wellbeing of women, girls and children to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3. Specifically, with our team of health professionals, we embark on health campaigns that include reproductive health education, general body check-ups, screening tests, deworming of children and dispensing of medications. Our long term goal is to set up PHCs in communities in dire need to improve access to quality essential health-care services among the targeted populations.