The Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN) was founded in 1973 by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, the Christian Council of Nigeria and the Northern Christian Medical Advisory Council (known as the Founding Fathers). Its' original function was primarily to represent the views of Nigerian Voluntary Medical Organizations to the Government. advising on the integration of these organizations in the overall planning of Government and acting as a central point for an exchange of views and expression of new ideas.

Today, CHAN is a not-for-profit service organization,coordinating church sponsored health care throughout Nigeria. In accordance with its mission, CHAN assists its Member institutions (MIs) in reaching more people, especially the unreached with health services in Nigeria that are of good quality, affordable and patient friendly. Its' members see themselves as continuing the healing ministry of Christ by providing good quality and affordable health services to those in need, irrespective of religious affiliation. As an umbrella organization, CHAN facilitates cooperation among its members from 23 major churches on health matters at Local, State and Federal levels. It builds their capacity to better serve the health needs of the people of Nigeria, irrespective of the gender, ethnic origin or religious affiliations. Its greatest achievement is to have brought diverse Christian denominations, showing both ecumenical unity and the will to act effectively with one voice. Although, the CHAN umbrella association promotes best practices among its members and offers guidelines for health care, MIs are autonomous and free to prioritise and adapt guidelines in their operational situations.

CHAN’s MIs constitute the oldest and largest health care institutions in Nigeria, second only to the Government. CHAN may well be responsible for at least 40 percent of health care provision in Nigeria, especially in the rural areas. Established as a representative body for networking and information gathering and dissemination, CHAN soon went on to establish the CHAN Drug Supply services (now CHANMedi-Pharm) in 1979. Supported by grants from Northern donors, CHANMedi-Pharm soon became a source of safe, quality and affordable drugs to its members. CHANMedi-Pharm operates as a separate entity in order to ensure the sustainability of its operation. In the same year, Primary Health Care Services (PHCS) was set up to collect and disseminate information and to help members improve their holistic Primary Health Care Services (PHCS).

CHAN currently has almost 400 MIs, comprising: 140 hospitals, 187 clinics delivering maternal and primary health care, 23 rural health programmes and 4 leprosaria. In total, the MIs operates some 4,000 outreach health facilities, many of which are situated in remote rural areas, fulfilling CHAN’s stated objectives of “Reaching the Unreached”. MIs operate throughout the country reaching some of the remotest areas in most cases, they represent the only health care facilities available to the communities living there. Among its members, CHAN can boast of the oldest health institutions in Nigeria; the Sacred Heart Hospital, Lantoro Abeokuta, Ogun State, which was established in 1880 by the Catholic French Society of African Missions, to cater for the needs of a leper colony. Today, its extensive staff includes 120 nurses, 14 doctors and it operates four out-stations. CHAN’s services are administered through the four (4) geographical zones (A, B, C and D) with zonal headquarters in Numan, Jos, Emekuku and Ibadan respectively. Some of CHAN’s operations/ projects are managed from the Annex Office in Abuja while all activities are coordinated by  the Central Office in Jos, Plateau State.

• CHAN is an umbrella organization Founded in 1973 by the Catholic Bishops conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), and the Northern Christian Medical Advisory Council of Nigeria (NCMAC) fondly called “Founding Fathers”
• CHAN was legally registered with Corporate Affairs Commission ( CAC) in 1978
• The main aim  of CHAN is  to facilitate cooperation and fellowship among members, strengthening their capacities and coordinating their activities so as to attain the highest level of healthcare for the people of Nigeria within the framework of National health policies through the member Institutions
• Presently, there are 358 registered members whose activities are carried out in over 4000 health facilities of various sizes located predominantly in rural areas and some in the urban areas.

The health facilities are owned by more than 20 various Church denominations that operate health services in Nigeria

• CHAN Members are found in 35 out of 36 states of the Federation providing different levels of health care delivery services (except  Zamfara)
• Our motto is reaching the unreached, thus most of our members are rural based and in hard to reach areas.
• The services offered by CHAN are freely and easily accessed by all and the health care providers do not discriminate.
• The main aim is to strengthen and coordinate church sponsored health care programmes and activities in the country within the National health policy and framework.
• CHAN has partnered with the GoN at all levels since its inception

• Empowering individuals and  institutions
• Personal integrity, commitment to our shared vision and mission and excellence in our work
• Team work, and concern for the rights of others
• Reliance on God and the power of the Holy Spirit to help us in the enormous tasks.
• Transparency accountability and stewardship of what God has put in our charge.

• Supports its members through trainings, planning and strategy development; health systems development, linkages with donors and partners for improved quality of care.
• Assisting member institutions to reach more people with health services that are of high quality, affordable and patient friendly.
• Providing members with timely and useful information
• Promote the involvement of members in all the elements of Primary health care services, e.g. immunization, MCH, treatment of common endemic diseases in communities etc
• Involved in supply chain management of high quality drugs, through its subsidiary company, CHAN Medipharm.
• Advocacy for and on behalf of Member Institutions to leverage resources.
• Promoting effective coordination and networking among members
• Advice and support members in procurement and effective maintenance of essential equipment

Vision

•  Empowering individuals and Institutions: to improve the health status of populations at risk as a positive contribution to social justice.
• Personal integrity, high moral standard, commitment to our shared mission, and excellence in our work
• Common courtesy in our personal interactions, a collaborative working style, and concern for the rights and dignity of others
• Pursuit of public health goals: CHAN as a nonprofit corporate organization is to serve the public interest by addressing public health issues with no discrimination.
• High degree of humility. Our individual energy, intellect, sense of humor, and dedication to making a difference in the lives of the poor
• Long-term commitments to our member institutions, partners and colleagues. It demands that we work for the success of others, promoting their capacity to work more effectively and independently and

MISSION

• To provide efficient services by building the capacity of members and to collaborate with partners to improve the health for all in Nigeria

• To improve the health status of Nigeria by building the capacity of members to render quality health services.
• To develop a financially sustainable organization by expanding funding base
• Expand and enhance quality of CHAN Membership
• To establish an Health Management Organization(HMO) to strengthen CHAN’s operations

• At the apex is the Board of Trustees. They are the legal owners of CHAN
• The National Executive Council (NEC). Directly work with and supervise the operations of Management. Meets 4 times a year. Members are appointed from the 3 Founding Fathers and 4 zonal representatives with the Sec. Gen. as secretary. (14)
• The Management Committee. Comprising all Directors with SG as chair
• National secretariat located in Jos Plateau State
• Decentralized into 4 Zones consisting of State chapters.
• The Zonal council. Present at all the four zones. Zonal offices and drug depots in all the zones. Zone A, in Numan for NE, zone B in Jos for NW/NC, zone C, Owerri for SE/SS, and zone D, Ibadan for SW and part of SS.
• State chapters of CHAN are found mainly where CHAN MIs are many. The officers at this level are volunteers.

• CHAN works primarily with its Member Institutions.
• We collaborate with other FBOs, CSOs and CBOs in health and development.
• CHAN also partners with Donor agencies and other Development partners.
• We partner with the GON at all levels.
• Occasionally partner with communities to promote ownership of some projects.