|  | BRINGING HEALTHCARE TO THE FINGERTIPS OF NIGERIANS
| Hello <<First Name>>, Welcome to the month of April. Here are some updates for you. | | | | |  | In the health sector, some progress has been made over the past eight years. In 2018, the launch of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) through the allocation of 1% of the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) provided catalytic funding to improve access to Primary health care (PHC). To create the health sector of our dreams, one that every Nigerian deserves, the government must prioritize five key areas… | | |  | The Federal Government is ready to ensure that Nigerians who are experts in the health sector, but have travelled out of the country for more than 10 or 20 years, and are ready to give back to the country, are engaged to provide virtual lectures, training and so on, for students and staff in Nigeria, under a scheme known as ‘Knowledge and Skill Repatriation’. This is a step towards improved conditions of service, apart from material and work satisfaction. | | |  | Stakeholders in the health sector have advocated for the establishment of a health development bank of Nigeria to assist in solving financial challenges in the healthcare system. “We are asking for a specialized health bank that will fund healthcare like the intervention done for the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, and others. So, this specialized bank for the health sector will be financing health,” Eze Onyekwere, Director of the Center for Social Justice, said. | | | | Access Bank Plc |  | Member of PSHAN invested in health systems strengthening and transformation. In 2018, Access Bank in partnership with PSHAN, launched the Malaria-to-Zero initiative, an innovative financing platform to galvanize private sector resources and capabilities for sustained support towards averting at least 1 million malaria cases and deaths by 2020 (Source: Access Bank PLC | Malaria to Zero).
Access Corporation founded the Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation which is focused on Malaria, Maternal and Child Health, and Cancer. (Source: ACT Foundation (actrustfoundation.org)).
The Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principle (NSBP) Steering Committee, chaired by leading financial organization, Access Corporation would host a Sustainability Summit which explores the “Role of Financial Institutions in Achieving Quality Healthcare”. Access Corporation commemorates World Health Days with initiatives such as: free testing, medication, counselling and consultation, symposia, conferences, walkathons, community engagements, and media campaigns, which are executed locally and across the country to increase the knowledge and awareness of the community on different health-related issues.
Through several partnerships and collaborations for innovative health interventions, Access Corporation provides sustainable solutions to the health challenges faced by the underprivileged including awareness creation and sensitization on: Sickle Cell, Diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Cancer, Obstetric Fistula amongst other health related challenges.
Access Bank has been awarded the Best Mobile Banking App (Africa); Best Digital Banking Brand (Nigeria); Best CSR Bank (Nigeria); Best Bank for Investor Relations (Nigeria); and Best Agro Banking Brand (Nigeria) awards. Access Bank’s Mozambique subsidiary also received awards as the ‘Best Banking Brand’ and for having the ‘Best New Micro Loans Product’. Other awards from 2021 and earlier can be found at Access Bank PLC | Our Awards. | | | | PSHAN Periscope Webinar |  | On Wednesday, 29th March 2023, PSHAN Periscope/Webinar brought together corporate and business leaders, policymakers, development partners, civil society leaders, and academics to discuss the theme: “Improving Maternal Health through Innovative Partnerships: Opportunities and Challenges”. Panelists discussed and developed practical ideas for Nigeria to reverse negative economic trends, strengthen the human capital base, and transform the country's health systems.
Click here to watch the webinar | | | | | HEALTH TIPS |  | | 1. Monitor your blood pressure. A total blood pressure reading is determined by measuring the systolic and diastolic blood pressures.
· Systolic blood pressure, the top number, measures the force the heart exerts on the walls of the arteries each time it beats.
· Diastolic blood pressure, the bottom number, measures the force the heart exerts on the walls of the arteries in between beats.
To get an accurate blood pressure measurement, your health care provider typically considers the average of two or more blood pressure readings from three or more office visits. An accurate measurement determines what kind of treatment you may need. The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association divide blood pressure into four general categories. Ideal blood pressure is categorized as normal.
Increased blood pressure may be categorized as elevated, stage 1 or stage 2 depending on the specific numbers. Here's a look at the four blood pressure categories and what they mean for you. If your systolic and diastolic readings fall into two different categories, your correct blood pressure category is the higher category: |  | Sources: American College of Cardiology; American Heart Association *Ranges may be lower for children and teenagers. Talk to your child's care provider if you're concerned that your child has high blood pressure.
These recommendations address high blood pressure as a single health condition. If you also have heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease or certain other conditions, you may need to treat your blood pressure more aggressively. | | 2. Eat right: The best way to make sure you have energy balance is to make better choices before you or your family sit down to eat. Make sure to:
i) Choose foods that are lower in fat and have fewer calories.
Shop "smart" at the grocery store. Learn to read the Nutrition Facts Label on packaged foods. Choose healthy foods more often. Use the GO, SLOW, and WHOA foods chart to learn which foods are better for you. · GO foods are good for you; eat them just about anytime. · SLOW foods should be eaten in smaller amounts. · WHOA foods should only be eaten rarely, or on special occasions.
Show your family the GO, SLOW, and WHOA chart called U R What U Eat. Help them understand how to make good choices.
ii) Review dietary guidelines.
· Check out http://www.choosemyplate.gov. The information on this website comes from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture every five years. The guidelines can help you make healthy choices that can reduce your chances of getting some diseases, like heart disease and diabetes. · Look at some healthy eating plans. The USDA Food Patterns and the DASH Eating Plan can help you figure out how much of each food group (for example, fruits, vegetables, grains, meats) you should eat each day.
iii) Cook smart.
· Read about some easy ways to cook foods that can help you make recipes healthier by lowering the calories. They'll be better for you and will still taste great.
iv) Eat smaller portions.
· In many cases, the amount of food that appears on your plate when eating out has nearly doubled over the past 20 years. And that has affected the way we look at and serve food at home, too. Learn more about what we call "portion distortion" and about the difference between a portion and a serving.
v) Make better choices when you eat out.
· Eat smaller portions and try to find items on the menu that are lower in fat and added sugar. And don't forget you can always ask for healthier options if you don't see them on the menu.
vi) Know your calories.
Remember that whether calories come from a soda, sweet potato, or steak, they're still calories. And calories do count for adults and children. Read more about calories from fat and sugar. | | 3. Exercise regularly: You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good it is? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability.
i) Exercise controls weight
Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. Any amount of activity is better than none at all, so don't worry if you can't find a large chunk of time to exercise every day. To reap the benefits of exercise, just get more active throughout your day — take the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.
ii) Exercise combats health conditions and diseases.
No matter what your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, and it decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Regular exercise helps prevent or manage many health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, many types of cancer, arthritis and falls.
iii) Exercise promotes better sleep.
Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep.
Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and have fun. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any concerns about your fitness, haven't exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis. | | | |
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