The Society for Family Health (SFH) is a pan-African non governmental organisation (NGO), founded in 1983 and incorporated in 1985. The organisation was founded by three Nigerians, Professor

Olikoye Ransome-Kuti Olikoye Ransome-Kuti (30 December 1927 – 1 June 2003) was a paediatrician, activist and health minister of Nigeria. Early life and education Olikoye Ransome-Kuti was born in Ijebu Ode on 30 December 1927, in present-day Ogun State, Nigeria ...

, Mallam Dahiru Wali, and Hon. Justice Ifeyinwa Nzeako. SFH's intervention areas include; Treating and positively changing behaviour towards malaria prevention and treatment with the use of

rapid diagnostic test A rapid diagnostic test (RDT) is a medical diagnostic test that is quick and easy to perform. RDTs are suitable for preliminary or emergency medical screening and for use in medical facilities with limited resources. They also allow point-of-care t ...

microscopy Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of micr ...

, HIV/TB treatment and prevention (including prevention of

mother-to-child transmission A vertically transmitted infection is an infection caused by pathogenic bacteria or viruses that use mother-to-child transmission, that is, transmission directly from the mother to an embryo, fetus, or baby during pregnancy or childbirth. It can ...

), adolescent and young people programming, reproductive health and family planning (RH/FP), health

policy Policy is a deliberate system of guidelines to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body within an organ ...

and financing, Pharma systems strengthening, research and management information systems,

cervical cancer Cervical cancer is a cancer arising from the cervix. It is due to the abnormal growth of cells that have the ability to invade or spread to other parts of the body. Early on, typically no symptoms are seen. Later symptoms may include abnormal ...

screening and prevention, and safe water systems. Dr Omokhudu Idogho is currently the managing director of the organisation.

History

SFH is a pan- African

non-governmental organisation A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from g ...

founded in 1983 by Honourable Justice Ifeyinwa Nzeako, Prof.

, Pharm (Mallam) Dahiru Wali and Mr Phil Harvey. SFH began as a

Population Services International Population Services International (PSI) is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit global health organization with programs targeting malaria, child survival, HIV, and reproductive health. PSI provides products, clinical services and behavior chan ...

(PSI) affiliate with one

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

grant and reproductive health products for distribution in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. In 1985, SFH was incorporated as a Nigerian non-governmental organisation and in 1994 released the "Who Get This Rain Coat" Gold Circle Condom/Family Planning campaign on national television. In the late 1980s, it went into partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to distribute Gold Circle condoms in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

, Oyo, and Ogun States, in South Western

. It soon scaled up its operations, expanding nationwide, and commencing the marketing of oral contraceptives, in partnership with

USAID The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...

. A partnership with the then UK's

Department for International Development , type = Department , logo = DfID.svg , logo_width = 180px , logo_caption = , picture = File:Admiralty Screen (411824276).jpg , picture_width = 180px , picture_caption = Department for International Development (London office) (far right ...

(DFID) (now the

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' ministries of foreign affairs, it was created on 2 September 2020 through the merger of the Foreign ...

) followed which also focused on the marketing of condoms, oral and injectable contraceptives, and a water-based lubricant. By 1997, SFH was distributing seventeen million condoms annually, and by 2009, 200 million condoms all over

at a subsidised price. In 2003, SFH launched its malaria programme, in partnership with USAID. The focus was on the treatment and prevention of malaria - one of the biggest causes of infant and child mortality in Nigeria. The malaria programme has grown significantly, with funding and support from

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (or simply the Global Fund) is an international financing and partnership organization that aims to "attract, leverage and invest additional resources to end the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, t ...

. Currently, the focus is on the use of

Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies Antimalarial medications or simply antimalarials are a type of antiparasitic chemical agent, often naturally derived, that can be used to treat or to prevent malaria, in the latter case, most often aiming at two susceptible target groups, young c ...

(ACT) and conducting Rapid Diagnostic Test for malaria before treatment as well as encouraging proper use of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets. In 2005, SFH became the first Nigerian organisation to receive direct funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement programmes in reproductive health. SFH is operating in four West African Countries -

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

, and

. They have 20 regional offices and 19 active projects present across all 36 states in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory where the organisation is headquartered. The Society for Family Health ensures healthy pregnancies, safe deliveries, child spacing, and emergency interventions for women at risk. The organisation receives its funding support from a number of national and international donors. Among these are: The

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was l ...

, The

Children's Investment Fund Foundation The Children's Investment Fund Foundation (UK) (CIFF) is an independent philanthropic organisation with offices in Addis Ababa, Beijing, London, Nairobi and New Delhi. It is a registered charity in England and Wales and in 2021 disbursed $468 mi ...

, MSD for Mothers, the United States International Development Agency, Stop TB partnership, the

Oxfam Novib Oxfam is a British-founded confederation of 21 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International. History Founded at 17 Broad Street, Oxford, as the Oxford Co ...

United Nations Population Fund The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies ...

, and

Board of trustees

SFH Nigeria's board of trustees are as follows; * Prof. Ekanem Ikpi Braide - President, Board of Trustees, Society for Family Health, Nigeria * Pharm. Ahmed I
Yakasai
- Former president,

Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) is a professional body for practicing pharmacists in Nigeria and was established in to instill discipline and maintaining professional ethics among members of the organization. The first president of the asso ...

* Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo - Founder o
WACOL
* Sir Bright Ekweremadu - Country Director, CB
International
* Pharm. Remi Adeseun - Director, Africa at Salien
Advisory

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu
- Assistant Director-General for Health Emergency Intelligence,

World Health Organisation The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...

* Kim Schwartz- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,

(PSI) * Dr Goodluck Obi
FCA
Partner & Head, Consumer and Industrial Markets at KPMG * Abasi Ene-Obong, PhD - Founder and CEO o
54gene

Notable People That Have Worked in SFH

* Olu Akanmu, Chief Operating Officer, 20 * Dr Omokhudu Idogho, Managing Director, 2019 - present * Bright Ekweremadu, Managing Director, 2015 - 2019

Operations and locations

The Society for Family Health (SFH) operates in four West African countries:

, and

. In

, SFH has 20 regional offices and 19 active projects are present across all 36 states in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), FCT-

Abuja Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Plann ...

where the organisation is headquartered. The Society for Family Health works in six thematic areas affecting family health in

. The thematic areas are: Safe Water Systems in Nigeria, Family Planning and Reproductive Health, Maternal and Child Healthcare,

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

Prevention and Treatment,

Malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

Prevention and Treatment, & Health and Social Systems Strengthening. SFH Nigeria's public health interventions in these thematic areas are implemented through different projects across several states across Nigeria. SFH creates demand for life-saving health commodities through social marketing. The commodities are stored at a 7,400 square meters SFH Warehouse in Ota, Ogun State. and are also packaged, and distributed all over West Africa. The organisation has a condom testing lab where male condoms are tested prior to packaging and distribution.

Publications

* * * * * *

References

External links

* {{Authority control Organizations established in 1983 Malaria organizations Medical and health organizations based in Nigeria Family planning in Nigeria Cancer in Nigeria