By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA
The Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), has decried acute shortage of all categories of staff in Primary Health Cares (PHCs), lack of basic tools and amenities for both health care givers and clients, increased difficulty in accessing hard-to-reach communities due to insecurity savaging many parts of the country and the flood that recently ravaged some areas, thereby making access to communities and facilities of implementation as major challenges confronting malaria intervention in Delta State .
The group disclosed this at the Delta State Media Meeting on the GF Malaria Community – Led Monitoring Project Implemented by ACOMIN in the State, held at Orchid Hotels yesterday in Asaba.
While calling for a review of embargo on employment, especially nurses, as those retiring are not being replaced, thereby putting avoidable pressure on those left behind with the attendance health risks, ACOMIN appealed to Local Government authorities to pay adequate attention to the operations of PHCs in terms of infrastructure.
It should be noted that as part of a nationwide efforts in addressing the challenges posed by Malaria in Nigeria, ACOMIN has been re-engaged by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) under the ongoing Global Fund (GF) Malaria Grant to continue implementing the civil society components, having successfully done it from 2019 to 2020.
Unveiling ACOMIN’s success stories in Delta, the State Programme Officer, Sir Austin Uwede disclosed that grant was presently being implemented in thirteen GF supported States namely Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe, Adamawa, Ogun, Osun and Delta States.
He said the project covers eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) in each State. And that in Delta State, the selected LGAs were Aniocha South, Oshimili South, Ndokwa West, Isoko North, Ughelli North and South, Patani and Sapele.
Uwede disclosed in his paper that “the National Malaria Strategic plan to commence a transition from malaria control to malaria elimination. The initiatives include providing free Long Lasting Insecticide treated Nets (LLINs), deployment of volunteers to carry out interpersonal communication at the grassroots level and provision of free malaria test kits and medicines at some health facilities and Community-Led Monitoring to ensure accountability in malaria interventions”.
The paper presented by the State Program Officer revealed that the community centered initiative being implemented by ACOMIN had yielded the donations of spygnamanometer at Ofuoma PHC in Ughelli North; donations of drugs shelf at Umolo PHC in Ughelli South and donations of signposts with repairs of bad pumping machine in Ekrerhavwen in Ughelli North local government Area.
“The donations of plastic chairs at Amukpe and Bulu -Apelebiri PHC in Sapele and Patani; connections of light from the national grid to Ogbe-Ogume PHC in Ndokwa with the repairs of leaking roof and provision of benches at Odovie PHC, among others”. He added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the State Chairman of ACOMIN Pastor Greg Sifo, challenged communities to take ownership of PHCs in thier localities as beneficiaries that government cannot be everywhere especially as they are not the main user of the facilities.
Pastor Sifo also charged Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in the State to continue sensitizing the rural areas to know that communities owned the PHC in their localities by utilising all the facilities provided for thier benefit.
“They should protect the facilities from vandalisation and work in synergy with the health workers to benefit from the free health facilities before moving to the secondary or tertiary health facilities”. He added.
ACOMIN called on the Mass Media to contribute to the country’s goal by advocating for all Government Ministries and Agencies to scale up community centric initiatives in their programs.