By Smith Nwokocha

USAID’s Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria Project Drives Positive Health Changes Across Nigeria

A red carpet arrival kicked off the celebration of seven years of dedicated service and striking improvements in health areas ranging from maternal and child health to nutrition to malaria prevention and beyond. During a transition and learning event in Abuja on June 5, 2024, the Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria project officially transitioned efforts and results to government agencies and community

organizations.

The Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria project works under the leadership of Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It has been at the forefront of applying social and behavior change, an important public health intervention that changes health outcomes. Since 2018, the project worked hand-in-hand with federal and state Ministries of Health and local organizations in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

At a total investment of more than $100 million dollars over seven years, Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria was the largest social and behavior country program ever funded by USAID/Nigeria.

The ceremony put a spotlight on Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria’s achievements and the support it has provided to the Government of Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Strategy. This one-day event brought together esteemed government dignitaries, ministries, departments and agencies, donors, media from across Nigeria, programme champions, and representatives from the President’s office.

Health indices in Nigeria have been driven by many factors. The public health approach, social and behavior change identifies what individuals and communities believe and how they behave, then develops innovative strategies so they can adopt healthier behaviors and access vital health services. Since it started working in Nigeria, the project used a multifaceted approach—including mass media, community outreach, and user-driven social media campaigns—to inspire long-lasting change. These efforts resulted in positive changes across several health areas including reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition and malaria, tuberculosis and COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Among countless other findings, Breakthrough ACTION found that women who participated in community activities were significantly more likely to practice multiple preventive behaviors compared to women who did not participate, including at least four ante-natal visits during pregnancy, delivering in

the safety of a health facility, exclusively breastfeeding, consuming a diverse diet and receiving preventive malaria medication at least 3 times during pregnancy. Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria’s commitment extended beyond designing and carrying out new approaches to changing people’s health behaviors. With a future-driven vision, the project also prioritized working with Federal and State Ministries, local partners, groups, and communities to sustain the positive behavior changes fostered over the past seven years. “With USAID’s and PMI’s support, we have had the privilege to improve the health and well-being of people across Nigeria. Because of what we have done together with our partners, pregnant mothers are accessing antenatal care, families are sleeping under life-saving mosquito nets, and children with previously undetected cases of tuberculosis are getting treatment. Together, we have saved and improved the lives of millions of mothers, fathers, children, and babies across Nigeria.” Dr. Shittu-Abdu Aguye, Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria Project Director. The June 5 event included a red-carpet arrival, a gallery walk showcasing Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria’s innovative interventions, a special guest plenary address, and a panel conversation with national and state representatives about the future of social and behavior change within Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Strategy.

Dr. Shittu Abdu-Aguye

Project Director, Breakthrough ACTION-Nigeria.