By; MOHAMMED MUNIRAT NASIR, Gusau
The Program Accountability Coordinator, Maternal and New Child Health (MNCH2) program in Zamfara, Farouk Abdulkadir, has disclosed that MNCH2 has so far supported the establishment of 55 Village Health Committees (VHCs) to enhance health care seekers access health facilities closer to them and ensure ownership.
He said with this recent support, the 55 committees were now fully functional in the 55 out of the 70 MNCH2 supported health facilities spread across the 14 local government areas of the state.
Abdulkadir said part of the activities of the committees was to identify and resolve challenges facing rural dwellers especially women and children in accessing health care services through advocacy,demand creation and sanitation etc.
The coordinator who was speaking at a one day sensitization meeting organized by MNCH2 said the alliance would ensure networking, develop joint activities and provide greater citizens voice and accountability as the social accountability mechanism allows community participation in decision affecting them.
“The committees have been able to mobilize human, material and financial resources for the development of their respective facilities and jointly seek government, public or partners support where and when needed, ” he said.
Abdulkadir added that the decision of the program to extend the module to the remaining 15 MNCH2 supported health facilities as well as form an alliance of all the VHCs which would be meeting on quarterly basis at the local government levels to discuss successes and challenges facing different health facilities with a view to addressing them.
The one day sensitization meeting was organized for key stakeholders (ES ZSPHCB, VHC state desk officer, State Health educator, local governmentPHC directors, LGA VHC desk officers and Civil Society Organizations) (CSOs) in Zamfara State.
