The Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition on Tuesday raised concern over the persistent gaps in staffing, drug availability, and infrastructure across primary healthcare facilities, warning that the challenges continue to undermine essential HIV, TB, and malaria services in communities.
Speaking during a media briefing in Gombe, the State Coordinator of ACOMIN, Hassana Maisanda, said many health facilities across the state and the country are “under severe strain”, leaving community members increasingly vulnerable.
“We see mothers walking long distances only to find no staff on duty, patients turned away because there are no testing kits, and entire communities beginning to lose confidence in their health centres. These are not abstract issues. They are daily realities,” she added.
Maisanda explained that the major gaps being documented under the Global Fund-supported Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) project fall into three critical areas: shortage of health workers, stock-out of essential commodities, and deteriorating infrastructure.
According to her, many primary healthcare centres operate with only one or two staff covering round-the-clock duties. “This leads to fatigue, burnout, frustration, and sometimes poor attitudes to patients,” she noted.
She added that the absence of security personnel in several facilities exposes them to theft and vandalism.
On commodity shortages, he disclosed that facilities continue to report recurring stock-outs of HIV test kits, antimalarial drugs, and rapid diagnostic tools. “When patients cannot get tested or treated, they either look elsewhere or abandon treatment altogether. That is dangerous for the entire community,” she said.
She also highlighted the dilapidated condition of many health facilities. “We have buildings with leaking roofs, cracked walls, and no functional toilets or storage spaces. Some facilities have no power supply or ventilation. These conditions are unacceptable for both patients and health workers,” Maisanda stressed.
Despite the challenges, Maisanda said the Community-Led Monitoring initiative has recorded notable successes in Gombe State this year.
“We have seen an increase in community patronage and ownership of facilities.Where staffing is inadequate, communities now volunteer support. We have also facilitated the renovation of health facility structures, repairs of boreholes, and restoration of solar power in several centres,” she added.
She added that ACOMIN has helped resolve disputes between community members and health workers, as well as sensitised communities about the availability of ATM services in their health facilities. “This shows what communities can achieve when given the tools to monitor and demand better services,” she said.
Maisanda urged stakeholders including government agencies, the private sector, media, traditional and religious leaders to urgently address the gaps limiting quality healthcare delivery.
“The government at all levels must invest more strategically by recruiting health workers, ensuring consistent supply of HIV, TB, and malaria commodities, and renovating dilapidated facilities,” she said.
She also emphasised the role of the private sector and philanthropists: “They can bridge critical gaps by sponsoring staff welfare, supplying essential commodities, and supporting infrastructure upgrades.”
Addressing journalists, Maisanda appealed for continuous media engagement. “The media remain a powerful ally. You can amplify the voices of communities, spotlight what is working, what is not, and help hold duty-bearers accountable.”
He further urged community, traditional, and religious leaders to strengthen community participation. “Your influence can encourage people to monitor their facilities, report gaps, and demand improvements. When communities take ownership, health outcomes improve,” Maisanda said.
She concluded by reaffirming ACOMIN’s commitment to strengthening community health systems. “The challenges are enormous, but they are not insurmountable. Through collective action and accountability, we can transform our facilities into reliable centres of care. ACOMIN will continue to stand with communities to ensure better health outcomes for all.”
Also speaking, State Programme Officer Samuel Chuwang said ACOMIN plays a crucial role in strengthening Nigeria’s community health response with support from the Global Fund through the Principal Recipient to implement the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) initiative under the GC7.
Chuwang said, “CLM empowers citizens to participate actively in identifying service delivery gaps, advocating for solutions, and holding duty-bearers accountable, thereby contributing to improving community health systems and outcomes.
“In Gombe State, the Community-Led Monitoring initiative being implemented by ACOMIN increased patronage by the community dwellers and take ownership of the facility for sustainability’s sake.
“Support the facility with volunteers where there are inadequate numbers of staff at the facility, train, and non-train.”
Also, Waziri Yerima Gombe, Yaya Hamari, said, “I want to appreciate ACOMIN for collaborating with religious and traditional institutions. We are the bridge you must cross to the facility.”
Hammari added, “Timely release, not just budgeting of funds, will help support the elimination of these diseases.”
Olayinka Peter, from ACOMIN headquarters in Abuja, lauded stakeholders for their participation and urged for concerted efforts. He said, “I want to appreciate the leadership in the state, we can’t be here without the community-based organisations. Let’s keep involving the communities for sustainability of the project.”
Grace Michael, also from ACOMIN headquarters, urged stakeholders to look inward. She said, “Community should see the need to take ownership. They must get involved by deliberately doing things to get solutions.”
Ndam Nanfa, Assistant Chief Administratio Officer at the National Human Rights Commission, decried the behaviour of medical personnel, “A visit to the state specialist hospital exposed how people are suffering those that arrived in the morning wouldn’t see the doctor until noon, when they do out of over 50 will want to see only seven patients.”
