The need for all hands to be on deck to improve service delivery by primary health care centres in the state has been stressed.
This formed the views of participants during a media briefing and meeting of Association of Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition, ACOMIN, Tuberculosis and Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, NEPWHAN, network on COVID-19 Response, Resilient and Sustainable System for Health, held in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
The COVID-19 Response Mechanism, Resilient and Sustainable System for Health is a project funded by a grant from the Global Fund through the National Agency for the Control of AIDs, NACA, in Nigeria, and aimed at supporting the efforts of government in strengthening health care systems in the health centers for prevention, and treatment of diseases in the communities.
A community-led monitoring initiative of the project is being implemented in the five local government areas of Aguata, Awka South, Anambra East, Dunkofia and Nnewi South, where they have achieved a lot of successes through community engagements by identifying gaps and bringing stakeholders to fill in the gaps through donations, among others.
Speaking during the event, the Anambra state Coordinator of ACOMIN, Mrs Chioma Okeke who reeled out the successes made by the association since inception, urged government officials and policymakers to prioritize and increase funding for primary healthcare centres, enhance healthcare workforce capacity and ensure that essential services are accessible and available at all times.
They also encouraged community members to actively support and advocate for their local primary healthcare centres, saying that community involvement is crucial in ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of the centres, adding that the support can be made through volunteering, donating resources or participating in advocacy efforts to secure increased funding and resources.
The State Programme Officer of the association, Mr. Wisdom Joseph who called on communities to take ownership of the project and safeguard all the primary health care centres in the state to achieve optimal result, made it clear that the media is very critical in ensuring that communities know their roles in terms of primary health care service delivery.
According to the Anambra State Coordinator for Civil Society on Tuberculosis Network, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Unachukwu, they have mechanisms for reaching out to the State government at all times and asked Ndi Anambra and other relevant stakeholders in the state to support the project for the good of the people, especially those living in the rural areas.
The Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Pharmacist Chisom Uchem, represented by her Personal Assistant, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudinjor commended the association for doing a wonderful job and reassured that the cordial relationship between the agency and the association would be sustained.
Anambra State Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Mrs Gladys Ezembu was represented by Mrs. Joy Nweke at the event that climaxed with a question-and-answer session.
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