<b>Bridging the Gap between Concept and Reality in the Nigerian Midwives Service Scheme</b>

Abstract

Health programs are often instituted to prevent diseases and to restore or promote health. In many cases, there are
gaps between anticipated and attained goals. A case in point is the Nigerian Midwives Service Scheme, where the concept of providing 24 hour coverage of the primary health centers by skilled birth attendants is currently failing to meet the desired targets in certain parts of Nigeria, predominantly the North Eastern and North Western Zones. This is in spite of adequate funding and organization. This article discusses the barriers to effective implementation of  the program and suggests that the gap between goals anticipated during program conceptualization and goals attained after program implementation can be bridged by optimizing innovative health communications to the  target audience and applying social marketing techniques to health care delivery in the affected zones. This is in addition to inter-sectoral coordination and collaboration between relevant government ministries and stakeholders.

Key words: Bridging gaps, Concepts, Reality, Nigerian, Midwives Service Scheme