STANDARD TREATMENT GUIDELINES 2008
Guideline · Health
Policy date: 2008-01-01
Guidelines provide evidence-based treatment protocols for common diseases across Nigeria's health system. They target doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and students, standardising care and improving patient outcomes through rational medicine use.
STANDARD TREATMENT GUIDELINES 2008
What Is This Policy?
Nigeria's national clinical guidelines providing healthcare workers with evidence-based treatment protocols for the most common diseases and conditions encountered at different levels of the health system.
Who Does It Target?
Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists at all facility levels Medical and nursing students in clinical training Pharmacy and therapeutics committees Drug procurement and supply chain managers
What Does It Aim to Achieve?
Standardise clinical care across Nigeria, promote rational use of medicines, reduce treatment costs through generic prescribing, and improve patient outcomes through evidence-based protocols.
Key Features
Disease-Specific Protocols: Provides step-by-step treatment protocols for hundreds of conditions including malaria, HIV, TB, diabetes, hypertension, and maternal conditions. Facility-Level Differentiation: Adapts treatment recommendations to what is feasible at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care. Essential Medicines Integration: Aligns treatment recommendations with the National Essential Medicines List. Dosing Guidance: Provides specific dosing, route of administration, and duration guidance for recommended medicines.
Current Status
Rollout Stage: Active - distributed to health facilities; revision ongoing Coverage: All levels of the Nigerian health system Beneficiaries: Patients receiving standardised, evidence-based care Funding: Federal Ministry of Health; WHO support
How to Access
Guidelines available to healthcare workers through the Federal Ministry of Health Download from the FMOH website or request from state drug management units Application method: Access at Federal Ministry of Health or state equivalents.
Important Terms
Guidelines represent minimum standards; clinical judgement applies in individual cases Outdated guidelines may not reflect current evidence; consult with specialists for complex cases Deviation from guidelines should be clinically justified and documented
Official Resources
Website: https://www.health.gov.ng Contact: Federal Ministry of Health
Legal Framework
Issued under the authority of the Federal Ministry of Health pursuant to the National Health Act 2014 and Section 17 of the 1999 Constitution on health objectives. Aligns with WHO Essential Medicines List, the International Health Regulations 2005, and NAFDAC Act for approved medicines. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Act and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Act support implementation at lower facility levels.