Network of People Living with HIV-AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) have praised residents of Nasarawa State for taking ownership of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in their communities.
The NCSOs NEPHAN gave the commendation while speaking at a media roundtable meeting held in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital.
The meeting was to review the implementation of their intervention to improve the quality of infrastructure and manpower at PHCs in the state.
Speaking at the media roundtable, the Nasarawa State Program Officer of the NEPWHAN C19 Project, Mrs. Patience Samson, said the program was being implemented by 15 community-based organizations.
The State Program Officer explained that the CBOs are working on the implementation of the COVID-19 Project (C19) to ensure better service delivery at PHCs in Obi, Nassarawa-Eggon, Wamba, Kokona, and Nasarawa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
She added that NEPWHAN was the leading implementing partner of the C19 project in the State.
Mrs Samson also said that the project is a Global fund aimed at strengthening and expanding the capacity of Nigeria’s healthcare system to combat emerging diseases in the country.
She added that the 15 community-based organizations (CBOs) engaged are working with community leaders in the five implementing LGAs of the state.
“Our intervention is community-based because our CBOs engaged with community leaders to identify the challenges in their PHCs and help them to address the challenges by themselves,” she added.
She listed some of the PHCs they had reached with their intervention: PHCs Tudun Adabu and Agewu in Obi LGA, Town Clinic Nassarawa-Eggon PHC Mararaba Gongo, and PHC Model in Wamba LGA, among others.
She added that they had been able to provide solar lights, portable water, chairs, tables, and cleaning materials and repaired cracked walls and leaking rooftops in some PHCs.
Mrs Samson explained that the major strategy working for them is advocacy and community engagement.
While commending some communities for warm reception and support, she said others refused to support them and are carefree about the proper functioning of PHCs in their areas.
On his part, Dr Peter Attah, Acting Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health represented by Mrs Juliet Luka, expressed satisfaction with the successes recorded in the implementation of the project.
The Director said that the ministry was particularly happy with the project because it was the community themselves that was addressing their challenges.
He emphasized that the government was willing to partner with any group whose ideology is tailored towards better health services for the people and proper functioning of the health facilities in the state.
Also, the Executive Director of Nasarawa State AIDS Control Agency, Dr. Ruth Bello, lauded the interventions by the group to the various LGAs in the state.
Dr. Ruth represented by Mrs Safiya Yahusa, said that the intervention had helped in facilitating easy access to healthcare for HIV patients in the various communities.(www.krestnews.com).