Many residents of Cameroon are fleeing to Nigeria to escape civil war, and the increase of refugees is challenging the current health care systems in border towns between Nigeria and Cameroon. FHI 360’s Integrated Health for Refugees and Vulnerable Populations in Nigeria project provides gender-sensitive, integrated health services to refugees within host communities. The project focuses work in the Etung and Boki local government areas of Cross River State, Nigeria.
The project is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and complements the interventions of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) by supporting refugees in accessing care in primary health centers.
To improve access to primary health care services and referrals to secondary or tertiary facilities and to provide community outreach on preventive health, health-seeking behaviors and hygiene promotion, the project:
- Provides capacity building for health care workers in two primary health centers, including supportive supervision and training across topics including antenatal and postnatal care, sexual and reproductive health, survivor referrals, gender sensitivity and disability inclusion to refugees and host communities
- Supports health clinics with medical commodities
- Provides primary health centers with emergency preparedness training for disease outbreaks, namely cholera and other acute watery-diarrhea diseases
- Collaborates with the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, local government health authorities, health supervisors, and community and settlement leadership to foster ownership and sustainability
- Supports primary health centers to partner with local organizations for people with disabilities to ensure inclusivity and improve communications
