FG, Stakeholders Seek Promotion of Self Care in Tackling Public Health Challenges

• PHCs to play key role says SFH

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The federal government has said there is need to imbibe the practice of self-care as part of measures to address several public health emergencies including infectious diseases outbreak.

At the same time, the Society for Family Health, said there is a strong link between self-care and the primary healthcare with sustainable financing, responsible use of technology, and meaningful community participation in advancing universal health coverage.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday at the inaugural National Self-Care Conference with theme “Self-care Puts Your Health in Your Hands: Test, Track, Thrive.”

The minister said self-care is important in prevention and control of infectious diseases, including Ebola Virus Disease currently being contained following index case reported on Monday.

“I use this opportunity to call on Nigerian public to observe self-care like hygiene, appropriate disinfection and cooperate fully with public health officials to contain reported Ebola index case,” he said.

Salako said the theme captures fundamental principle of modern healthcare underscoring imperative of empowering people with knowledge, skills and tools to own their health.

“Self-care extends healthcare beyond hospitals and clinics into our homes, workplaces and communities. It encompasses health promotion, disease and complication prevention, appropriate self-testing and responsible management of well-being.

However, self-care does not replace professional healthcare nor absolve government of responsibility to provide accessible, affordable and quality services,” he said.

He said government will continue to promote investment in health facilities, skilled personnel, essential medicines and functional referral systems, adding that self-care is opportunity to strengthen primary healthcare, advance UHC and improve outcomes through prevention, maternal health support, management of non-communicable diseases and extension of information to underserved communities.

Salako explained that while test allows individuals to know health status, with screening and approved self-testing helping early identification of hypertension, diabetes and other risks, track requires consistent monitoring of blood pressure, blood glucose, physical activity and medication adherence guided by reliable information and linked to professional care.

He said that thrive is ultimate goal of healthier individuals, stronger families and resilient communities.

The minister said the benefits require integrating self-care into PHC, training workers, strengthening community education, improving access to quality-assured products and protecting public from unsafe practices, leveraging digital communication and AI.

He called on states to integrate evidence-based self-care into policies, professionals to guide safe use, partners to support financing and capacity, private sector to prioritize quality and affordability, and traditional and religious leaders, civil society and media to build trust.

Earlier, Group Director, Population, Health and Community Systems, SFH Donor-Funded Portfolio Directorate, Pharm. Emeka Okafor, said conference speaks directly to future of health by enabling people take more informed role in own care.

He said Society for Family Health experience shows care becomes more effective when it responds to how people actually live, making decisions at homes, pharmacies, communities and through phones.

Okafor said opportunity is to turn ambition into commitments with stronger links between self-care and primary healthcare, sustainable financing, responsible use of technology and meaningful community participation.

He said that SFH looks forward to the time when more Nigerians can understand their health, act early and access support when they need it.

In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr. Salma Anas Ibrahim said that federal government laying special emphasis on self-care as a means of further improving national health outcome and attaining the target of universal health coverage.

Highpoint of the event saw minister being presented with an investiture as “The National Self Care Ambassador” by Dr. Salma Anas Ibrahim.