Building on Nigeria’s Call to Action to Save Newborn Lives, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) has developed the National Strategy and Implementation Plan for Scale-up of Chlorhexidine. The Ministry incorporated existing maternal, newborn, and child health plans with additional comprehensive strategic planning and consultation to develop a comprehensive, five-year costed scaleup plan. The strategy and implementation plan is intended to guide programming, resource allocation, and commitments to achieve the national objective of Chlorhexidine uptake of 52% after the fifth year of national scaleup.
Consultants worked under the direction of the FMoH’s Family Health Department to define the priorities, activities, and associated costs required to reach the neonatal objectives of the country. Throughout the process, stakeholders provided significant inputs to ensure that the strategy and implementation plan represents the best interests of the women, newborns, and citizenry of Nigeria.
Elements of the strategy and implementation plan were based on market research conducted in 2014 and the successes of development partners that have initiated Chlorhexidine scaleup. The strategy and implementation plan also draws on content from existing plans, including 100,000 Babies Survive and Thrive Initiative, Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), SURE-P, and the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities.
Interviews with more than 50 government departments, development partners, and donors highlighted priorities and current and future responsibilities. A series of consultative meetings provided revisions and feedback to the strategy and implementation plan — which are reflected throughout.