The Gombe State Programme Officer of the Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria Dauda Makka, on Thursday held a media roundtable where stakeholders discussed the challenges, success stories and way forward.
According to Makka, the Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health records that formal and community health system could be strained, due to shortage of skilled health workers, inadequate data, poor integration government, private sector and community health system
Our correspondent reports that the Resilient and Sustainable Systems for Health, is a collaboration between Global Fund, National Agency for the Control of AIDS and Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria with different approaches deployed to invest in the treatment and prevention of HIV, TB, malaria in communities.
“To end HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria as epidemics we need to strengthen the formal and community health system and RSSH,” he said.
Dauda disclosed that Global Fund is the largest multilateral provider of grants for strengthening systems for health, community system for health, adding that its designed to be led and organised by communities themselves to address their local needs and reach the marginalised and vulnerable people.
He said, “In Gombe many success stories were recorded and it include the provision of service equipment such as BP apparatus to number of health centres to enhance quality service delivery for client, some of the facilities engaged volunteers to complement and support the shortage of man power in order to provide improved service delivery, engaging the security personnel in a number of health centres to ensure that commodities are safe, resolving dispute between warring communities and health facilities which result in improving the patronage of the health centres.
“Restoration of the provision of testing kits such as HIV and malaria test kits to some health centres to make available comprehensive service especially for pregnant women coming for ANC and intending couples testing at little or no cost, furniture and equipment were provided, facilities were renovated, provision of water in a number of health centres,Issue of staff absenteeism, stigmatisation, myths on Covid-19/HIV and client privacy were addressed in some communities/health centers and this has led to increase patronage and service uptake.”
Makka added further the efforts of RSSH to include, “Construction and setting up of sign post in a number of health centres for easy direction and getting access to the facility, Resolving land dispute between some communities and facilities to allow for fencing to protect property and enhance health care workers safety for good service delivery, Provision of alternative source of light in a number of health facilities to ensure night shifts without disruption and improved service delivery, A community member donated his empty house to serve as facility due to destruction of the facility by rain so that health care service can continue.”
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that no fewer than 15 Community-Based Organisations brought their suggestions, recommendations and possible solutions to the challenges faced by the health care facilities to include, training to coach workers on how to deal with clients, some suggested that the national team should meet with the state and LGA team so that the work will carry a lot of weight because there are issues that are beyond the state, LGA and communities.
Many stakeholders present also urged the media to be highly involved in the activities stressing that they will help in making it go viral. Also, health workers should be posted within their community, volunteers should be encouraged in cash and kind and if there are opportunities the community people should be highly involved.
However, some of the health workers reported that some victims are hiding their status and don’t want to bring themselves to the hospital for proper medication and they cannot go to their houses and fetch them out, adding that if it continues the possibility of eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030 is very slim and extension will be made possibly.
A position Makka debunked noting that that there is no extension for now and even if there would be it would be communicated, so stakeholders should work with 2030 in mind.
He concluded by giving summary of the year, disclosing that in 2023,15 CBOs and support groups working in Gombe State, were able to coordinate and strengthen the relationships between 60 health facilities and their communities across five LGAs through the use of data collected through 120 key informant interview KII at LGA and facility, 1440 CEI conducted at health facilities and 120 Focus Group Discussion in the communities.
Makka added that it was was made possible through stakeholders engagement and capacity building urging them to take ownership and manage health programmes and facilities, “This in turn has contributed to community health systems strengthening in Gombe State,” Makka added.
