By Edem Ekpo
The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) has struck a strategic partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to scale up healthcare delivery and strengthen outcomes across the Niger Delta region.
The collaboration was formalized in Abuja when SSDC Managing Director, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina. The meeting was hailed by both sides as a major step toward aligning regional interventions with national health priorities.
According to Akpabio, the agreement will serve as a turning point for the region’s health system, driving rapid progress in immunization coverage, malaria elimination programmes, and the revitalization of community health centres. “By aligning the SSDC’s mandate with the NPHCDA’s blueprint, we can optimize resources and deliver impactful results with urgency,” she said.
Part of the quick-win initiatives agreed upon include joint campaigns to improve vaccine uptake in underserved communities, backed by cold-chain equipment, stronger health data systems, and expanded training for frontline workers. Pilot projects will be rolled out in selected states to demonstrate impact before wider adoption.
Akpabio also revealed that the Commission will spearhead malaria eradication drives in the South-South, partnering with NPHCDA on co-branded campaigns and distributing insecticide-treated nets to vulnerable households.
Dr. Aina, in his response, assured that the NPHCDA will provide technical and logistical support, particularly in rural and riverine communities. He pledged the Agency’s commitment to supporting South-South states with the recruitment and deployment of Skilled Birth Attendants and Community Health Workers as part of efforts to curb maternal and infant mortality.
With the agreement, the SSDC becomes the official regional implementation hub for NPHCDA programmes in the South-South, a move expected to streamline operations and ensure national health strategies are effectively delivered at the grassroots.