BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
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The New –Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI has called for urgent and coordinated action to address the persistent challenges of staff shortages, commodities stock-outs and infrastructural decay affecting primary healthcare facilities in the country.
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Executive Director, New –Life Community Care Initiative (NELCCI) Florence Ifeanyi Aneke who is also the State Coordinator Civil Society in Malaria Control Immunisation & Nutrition (ACOMIN) under the Community-Engagement & Strategic Initiative made the call at a one day media briefing meeting held in Enugu on Tuesday.
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Speaking on the theme: “From Shortages to Solutions: Addressing Staff Shortage, Commodities Stock-Out and Infrastructure Gaps in Community Health”, Florence Ifeanyi Aneke noted that many health facilities in Nigerian communities remain under severe strain.
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According to her, inadequate human resources for health, empty drug shelves, leaking roofs and other infrastructural deficiencies continue to undermine access to quality HIV, TB and malaria services.
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She said the gaps have led to fatigue and burnout among health workers and eroded public confidence in the healthcare system.
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“Many primary healthcare centres reportedly operate with just one or two staff covering round-the-clock shifts, leading to inconsistent service delivery.
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“The absence of security personnel has also exposed some facilities to vandalism and theft.
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“Several facilities reported shortages of essential items such as HIV test kits, stock-outs of essential drugs and rapid diagnostic tools in both current and previous quarters, forcing patients to seek care elsewhere or abandon treatment.
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“Infrastructural Decay including Cracked walls, leaking roofs, lack of functional toilets, power supply issues and non-existent drug storage spaces were highlighted as common problems affecting safety and service uptake,” she said.
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Ifeanyi Aneke said the Community Engagement & Strategic Initiative funded by the Global Fund under GC7 has helped communities identify gaps, advocate for solutions and hold leaders accountable.
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she said the intervention has resulted in notable improvements in two pilot communities at Mkpologwu and Amorji communities.
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“Our focused group discussion with Mkpologwu community and follow up advocacy visits to key stakeholders including the then commissioner for health led to government`s taking action, resulting in a new health facility being built in Mkpologwu.
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“Our outreaches and sensitization efforts have improved community members understanding and utilization of HIV, TB and Malaria services.
We monitor facilities to ensure patients receive the best possible care. This has helped government identify areas for improvement.
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“Also there was increased community patronage following sensitisation visits to women groups and other influencers, she stated.
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Ifeanyi Aneke called on government agencies at all levels to prioritise investments in staff recruitment, consistent supply of medical commodities and rehabilitation of dilapidated facilities.
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She urged private organisations and philanthropists to support health infrastructure upgrades, staff welfare and essential supplies.
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She also urged the media to amplify community voices and holding decision-makers accountable, while urging traditional, religious and community leaders to mobilise residents for active participation in monitoring service delivery.
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“Solving the triple challenge facing Nigeria’s primary healthcare system requires collective responsibility by all stakeholders.
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Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Uche Igbo, Assistant State Health Educator, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, representing the Executive Secretary, said,
“I am going to relay what is happening in the health facilities in the two local government areas visited by the Executive Secretary. There are loopholes that need to be addressed, irrespective of the fact that the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Peter Mbah, is already renovating, establishing new health facilities and equipping them.
There is also a need for us at the primary healthcare level to look into these ones that have been mentioned — those that are dilapidated and whose staff are not working as they ought to. We also need to know what is actually happening and why they do not normally go to work.
We have already started partnering with this NGO, and the partnership will continue.”
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Also, Dr Ifeoma Otiji, Programme Manager, Enugu State Malaria Elimination Programme, Ministry of Health, represented by Anthonia Onyishi, Logistics Officer, said, “Malaria can be cured permanently, but the only way to prevent malaria is through Integrated Vector Management (IVM) — using indoor residual spraying, larviciding or even larval source management. That is the only way to eradicate malaria in this country.
But because it is capital-intensive, we are only managing it for now. If you roll malaria back, it will soon return, so we are just managing the situation.
We need to be up and doing by clearing our environment and keeping it clean. That is the only measure that depends solely on human effort — it does not require money. Clean your environment, use mosquito nets when sleeping at night.
We also have to visit our facilities to know what they are doing — whether they are sharing commodities accordingly and whether they are conducting RDT tests before treatment or still relying solely on clinical diagnosis.”
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Gloria Okafor, from Mkpologwu, a benefiting community told journalists, “We have come to tell the world the good thing these people are doing for us. They have built a maternity centre for us. The place is almost complete. We did not contribute anything; it was built free of charge.
We pray that it functions very well when it fully opens. Before now, we used to deliver with traditional birth attendants, but some of our women died there. That was why we began to advocate for them to come and help us.”
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“We are grateful for the maternity they are building for us. It is almost completed”, she added.
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