The Association of Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunisation, and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has urged federal, state, and local governments to prioritise healthcare infrastructure in their budgets to ensure effective service delivery.
The State Programme Coordinator (SPO) of ACOMIN, Abdulhakim Dayyab, made this call at the C19RM Biannual Media Meeting held in Kano on Wednesday.
ACOMIN is a network of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) focused on creating a healthy Nigerian society free from malaria, polio, and other communicable and preventable diseases.
Dayyab emphasised the need for increased funding to renovate and upgrade healthcare facilities and to implement comprehensive policies for the regular maintenance of infrastructure across healthcare systems.
He noted that several challenges were identified during a community-led monitoring initiative, conducted by the AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Networks (ATM).
“Key issues affecting health facilities include inadequate medical equipment, deteriorating infrastructure, and power shortages,” Dayyab stated.
He also highlighted that ATM had intervened in 15 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) across the state, providing essential support such as reconnecting water supplies and installing solar panels.
“Some of the PHCs benefiting from these interventions include Kaura Goje, Gaida Sangalawa, and Aisami.’’
Dayyab urged community leaders, philanthropists, private sector partners, religious leaders, and faith-based organisations to take decisive action in addressing these pressing healthcare challenges.
TB Network Representative Sulaiman Ahmed-Indabawa added that ATM had worked with PHCs to promote ownership and responsibility for their operations.
He also discussed strategies put in place to improve productivity and encouraged community members to utilise available healthcare facilities and the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The Deputy Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme Officer at the Kano State Ministry of Health, Ibrahim Abdullah described the meeting as timely and important.
AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Networks (ATM), ACOMIN, the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), and the TB Network have been re-engaged by NACA.
The organisations are to serve as technical service organizations (TSOs) in the implementation of the community component of the COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness Grant.
NAN
