Case study of a model primary health care program in Nigeria: History, evolution, challenges, and future perspectives.

This short report describes the historical evolution of a pioneer Model PHC programme located in Ogun State, southwest Nigeria, as a direct result of the vision and effort of Professor Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, and his drive to entrench the delivery of primary health care (PHC) in Nigeria. It describes some of the programmes inspired by the PHC philosophy at the Model PHC Centre, some of the challenges faced over the years, and the need to reposition the programme. It exemplifies key principles in PHC and its philosophy that are instructive for health practitioners, policymakers and development practitioners, especially those with interest in resource-poor countries.

Ending preventable maternal and child deaths in western Nigeria: Do women utilize the life lines?

Introduction: Nigeria which constitutes just one percent of the world population, accounts for 13% of the world maternal and under-five mortality. Utilization of health care services has been an important determinant of maternal and child outcomes. The vast majority of maternal and child deaths could be prevented if women utilize the available life lines.

The state of readiness of Lagos State Primary Health Care Physicians to embrace the care of depression in Nigeria.

Globally there is a huge treatment gap for common mental disorders such as depression. Key to improving access to treatment will be the attitudes held towards depression by those physicians who work in Primary Care. This study aimed to explore Lagos State's Primary Care Physicians' attitudes towards depression and their views regarding their current working practices.

Infants delivered in maternity homes run by traditional birth attendants in urban Nigeria: a community-based study.

We explored factors associated with traditional maternity/herbal homes (TMHs) run by traditional birth attendants (TBAs) compared with hospital or home delivery in Lagos, Nigeria, and found that infants delivered at TMHs were less likely to have severe hyperbilirubinemia compared with infants delivered in hospitals or residential homes. These infants were also less likely to be preterm compared with those delivered in hospitals or undernourished compared with infants delivered in residential homes. We concluded that infants delivered at TMHs who survive are unlikely to be at greater risks of some adverse perinatal outcomes than those delivered in hospitals or family homes.