No fewer than 15 Primary Health Care Centres across three senatorial districts in Gombe State have benefitted from BudgiT Foundation’s Strengthening Community Engagement and Accountability for Primary Health Care project.
Disclosing this on Tuesday Dr Biobele Davidson, Head of SCEAP, commended the Ward Development Committees, adding that their ability to take ownership of facilities around them were signs that their advocacies yielded the needed fruit.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that some of the PHCs include Akko, Kumo, Pindinga, Cham, Bambam, Lano, Dadinkowa, Malam Sidi, Gelengu, Banguji, Dukul, Bebeji and few others.
According to her, “Communities have the power to unlock the potential of Primary Healthcare and transform the health of mothers and infants. Fortunately, Nigeria’s health system provides a strong institutional foundation for community engagement.”
Speaking further about what makes SCEAP different Davidson added, “Our solution demonstrates a deep understanding of the community and key stakeholders and shares plans to engage and work with them throughout the process to ensure sustainable and durable outcomes. BudgiT doesn’t give money, we only empowered them (communities) mental, by giving them the push.”
While elaborating on her presentation with stakeholders at the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency boardroom, Davidson disclosed that SCEAP has become a catalyst to activate community voices, “being able to motivate, use data and share with community members how to improve their health facilities and take ownership. We have been able to empower them use constructive feedback mechanism to share their experiences either as patients or citizens to be able to capture what the true state of the primary health care system is in their community,” she added.
Davidson noted that dearth of health personnel remains a challenge across Gombe facilities, adding that it’s not only synonymous with the state but a global gap.
“Human resource for health is not limited to Gombe but it’s a global problem; we need more people at the facilities either as technical, or support staff. There is also need to improve on infrastructure, it’s one thing to have infrastructure, its another for both government and communities to work together to maintain it. There is also issue of accommodations for staff on board, as well as provision of water,” she added.
On his part, Executive Secretary of Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency Dr Shuaibu Abdulrahman, lauded the collaboration existing between the agency and WDC officials.
Abdulrahman disclosed that the importance of WDC can’t be overemphasised, stressing that efforts were on to conduct elections to ensure the sustenance of development achieved by the ward development committees.
He also commended the SCEAP project implemented by the BudgiT Foundation, urging for scale up from 15 following the achieved results.
Also, Chairman of Akko WDC, Ali Yayaji, Akko, covering Gombe Central enumerated various successes achieved by his committee, alongside a Community-Based Organisation Foundation for Community Empowerment Initiative.
He disclosed that following community intervention dilapidated solar power was restored, adding that previous healthcare givers used handset torch light to administer care at night.
Joshua Kangala, Gelengu WDC chairman, Balanga Local Government Area, lauded the SCEAP project for conscientising them on how to get involved in health delivery in their communities.
“We are really happy about this initiative through this project we were able to write for an upgrade of our facility. Soon government will upgrade and extend PHC Gelengu, the project is very good,” he added.
