OVER one million Nigerians are to benefit from the African Health Markets for Equity (AHME) project, an initiative of the World Bank that aims to provide affordable healthcare to rural dwellers.

World Bank officials said at the launch of the scheme in Abuja that Nigeria is one of three countries benefiting from the initiative.

Others, according to the Lead Health Specialist and Head Health in Africa at the World Bank Group, Khama Rogo, include Kenya and Ghana.

Over five years, the program expects to engage over 2,730 provider outlets; support more than 490 providers to achieve Safe Care Certificates of Improvement; increase provider network scope and scale by 132 per cent (Nigeria); 196 per cent (Kenya) and 273 per cent (Ghana); and avert 2.85 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), at a cost-effectiveness ratio of $46 per DALY.

He said the five year programme would increase the scale and scope of franchised health care, expanding from family planning and sexual and reproductive health to also address malaria, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, nutrition, maternal care, HIV and TB.