WILLINGNESS TO ENROL AND PAY FOR A CONTRIBUTORY HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME AND ITS DETERMINANTS: A SURVEY OF RURAL AND URBAN HOUSEHOLDS IN RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA.

Introduction/background: Health insurance schemes make healthcare more accessible and affordable, and are essential for protecting individuals and families from the financial risks associated with medical expenses.

Objectives: This study assessed the willingness to enrol and pay for a contributory health insurance scheme and its determinants among rural and urban households in Rivers State.

Methods: Cross-sectional study, with multistage sampling to survey 1196 households across 9 Local Government Areas, 3 from each Senatorial district.

A PROTOCOL FOR ACCELERATING THE ADOPTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED MATERNAL, NEWBORN, CHILD, AND NUTRITION HEALTH (MNCNH) INNOVATIONS TO REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY IN NIGERIA.

Background: Maternal mortality remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, where 28.5% of global maternal deaths occur. Barriers such as weak policy environments and lack of product availability hinder the implementation of life-saving interventions.

The Case for Early and Universal Screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Findings from 9314 Pregnant Women in a Major City in Nigeria.

Introduction: Risk-based screening has been replaced by universal screening as the recommended course of care for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). As of 2016, no state in Nigeria had implemented a policy of universal screening for GDM. This research aimed to assess findings from a universal screening programme and its implication for scaling up universal and early screening for GDM.

Awareness, perception and the practice of COVID-19 prevention among residents of a state in the South-South region of Nigeria: implications for public health control efforts.

Background: As with any epidemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has evoked panic, fear and misconceptions. The risk communication pillar of the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre is responding to the pandemic by facilitating correct and consistent information to enable the adoption of behaviours to prevent and control COVID-19. This study explored awareness, perception and practice of COVID-19 prevention among residents in Rivers State, Nigeria, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Mainstreaming youth-friendly health services into existing primary health care facilities: experiences from South-South Nigeria.

Background Youth friendly services, an evidence based approach to overcome the barriers experienced by youths in accessing care, is poorly implemented. The Medical Women's Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Rivers State chapter, was supported by Ford Foundation to mainstream youth-friendly health services (YFHS) into existing primary health care facilities in two hard-to-reach communities. This paper presents the interventions, findings, challenges and recommendations.