By; VICTOR DAZANG, Kaduna
A non governmental organisation (NGO), Resilient and Sustainable System for Health (RSSH) on Friday, urged the Kaduna State Government to improve its health support to ensure resilience in communities.
Mr Peter Ezekiel, the state programme officer of the organization, made this known at a one-day meeting to asses its achievements in developing community health facilities in Kaduna.
According to him, the goal of the project is to straighten community health facilities against the possible third wave of COVID-19.
He said the meeting was necessary to highlight the achievements of the 15 Community-Based Organisations (CBO) engaged in implementation cutting from the three disease areas which include, AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM).
He mentioned that the RSSH and COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) is a Global Fund funded project through National Aids Control Agency (NACA) being Implemented by the Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN).
He said that the program is using the community-led approach which entails identifying, solving their problems using an issue-based advocacy approach inspired by the CBOs.
Ezekiel said the government needs to be updated on the progress being made while ensuring community people know how in their little ways can galvanize local support to ensure community health systems are built with resilience.
” The CBOs have made a tremendous impact by conducting outreaches that provided brand new microscope, chairs for waiting clients, office tables for staff, rehabilitation of water facilities, fixing leaking ceiling among many achievements.”
He called on the state government to improve its support to relevant agencies to ensure the delivery of consumables to health care centers.
Addressing some of the challenges, Halima Jibril, Department health promotion unit, state primary health care board, said the state government has concluded measures in addressing the challenges.
She said the government has recruited security and 200 health officers who are being posted to all health facilities in the 23 LGAs of the state.
Jibril, commended the Global Fund for the project’s achievements while assuring governments continious support.
Bala Ismail, state coordinator, People living with HIV/Aids, said the achievements of the project are complementary efforts of the state government.
He called on government to take ownership of the project to strengthen community health care system.
