A non-governmental organization known as Civil Society Organization on Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), has stressed the need for stakeholders to collaborate in strengthening Nigeria’s community health system for optimum service delivery.
The Delta State Program Officer of ACOMIN, Juliet Obiajulu, who stated this on the occasion of a media round table discussion held in Asaba, said that government at all levels must prioritize health system strengthening through increased and better targeted investments.
Obiajulu noted that ACOMIN had been playing critical role in strengthening Nigeria’s community health system with support from the global fund through the Community Led Monitoring (CLM) initiative under the GC7 .
She said that the CLM interfaces with the citizens to participate actively in identifying service delivery gaps , advocating for solutions and holding healthcare providers accountable, thereby contributing to improving outcomes of the community health system.
The State Programme Officer affirmed that there were challenges threatening the quality delivery of essential HIV, TB and Malaria services, as several healthcare facilities face inadequate manpower, commodity/drugs stock-outs and infrastructural decay.
Highlighting the achievements of ACOMIN within the last six months, Obiajulu stated that the NGO had recorded over 27 successes including State Advocacy Team (SAT) intervention leading to the resolution of inadequate staffing at Ugbomanta primary healthcare Center in Oshimili South LGA through the efforts of the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Charles Eboka who posted a staff Nurse/Midwife to the facility.
Obiajulu also listed other achievements within the period under review to include the acquisition of delivery and circumcising sets at Jakpa PHC , the resolution of the issue of lack of borehole at Okponta PHC in Oshimili North Local Government Area, replacing a set of damaged key locks at Cable PHC, fixing of bad door at Egini primary healthcare Center in Udu Local Government Area in August among other numerous achievements.
Earlier, the State Chairman of ACOMIN, Pastor Gregory Sifo said that the media roundtable discussion was aimed at intimating the media of the activities and achievements of the civil society organization .
Sifo explained that the state government through the Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency was carrying out massive renovation work at the various healthcare facilities across the state, adding that ACOMIN was intervening in 36 PHCs in the state through it various projects.
The State partners including the Programme Manager of State Malaria Elimination Program in the State Ministry of Health, Dr.(Mrs.) Julie Aniah, the State NEPWHAN Coordinator, Mr. Christopher Ogberetinor , the representative of the State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Mrs. Grace Sifo, the representative of the State TB Leprosy Control Programme in the state, Dr. Francis Bakpa, the Director of Nursing Services, Delta State Local Government Service Commission, Mrs. Patricia Enafoma and Pastor(Mrs) Ronke Akinwumi of Redeemed Church lauded ACOMIN for its impact on the health system in the state.
Speaking further, Mrs. Enafoma said that the three thematic disease areas which are; TB, HIV and malaria control were essential as well as health was concerned, just as she hinted that the local government service commission had been making efforts for the state government to employ some nurses and other health staff at the various Primary Health Care Centres.
On her part, Pastor Akinwumi said that her church have been enlightening members on health and gender based issues and noted that she will invite ACOMIN in the next annual Program by her Province to speak on GBV and GHR.
Mrs. Grace Sifo said that the World HIV/AIDS day would hold from November 28 through December 1st 2025. She also decried insufficient number of HIV test kits across the nation, noting that something needed to be done about it .
By Magnus Emuji
