By Chinedum Treasure
Civil Society for the Eradication of Tuberculosis in Nigeria (TB Network) has expressed satisfaction over remarkable achievements recorded through extensive community mobilization and sensitization.
Anambra State Coordinator, Ifeyinwa Unachukwu stated this on Saturday in Awka at a Media Roundtable brief on the COVID-19 Response Mechanism – Community System Strengthening (C19RM CSS) Project in the State.
She said her organization had trained and empowered over 15 Community Based Organizations (CBOs) involved in the project to play critical roles in advocacy, monitoring and patient support, while ward development committees have equally become more active in local health governance.
According to her, hundreds of outreach sessions and dialogues have been held across the target LGAs, increasing awareness about TB, HIV, and Malaria, and encouraging people to access testing and treatment.
“The community-led monitoring (CLM) framework has provided structured evidence of gaps in service delivery at both primary and secondary healthcare levels, which has helped to shape constructive engagement with Ministry of Health and the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA).
“Importantly, the project has created new advocacy platforms where citizens can influence government decisions.
“These efforts have re-opened important conversations around state government commitments, particularly in the area of counterpart funding for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria,” she added.
Unachukwu however identified unfulfilled counterpart funding obligations by governments as one of the major challenges facing the project, calling for consistency in fulfilling such obligations for Tuberculosis, HIV, and Malaria programs.
She stressed the need to establish government ownership of the CLM framework and to develop ATM-specific financing strategy, drawing support from state, local governments as well as private sector and philanthropic actors.
“It’s also important to strengthen resource mobilization for HIV/AIDs, TB and Malaria in Anambra State.
“Improving service delivery requires stronger community-based drug distribution systems and more deliberate campaigns to reduce stigma and misinformation,” she said.
Earlier, State Program Officer, Onyekachi Ololo called for institutionalization of CLM within the ASPHCDA.
“The story of the C19RM CSS project in Anambra is a demonstration of what communities can achieve when they are mobilized, equipped and given the platform to speak.
“Yet it also reminds us that without sustained government commitment, particularly in the areas of funding, service delivery and ownership of accountability systems, these gains
can quickly fade.
“The call to action today is therefore for all stakeholders, especially government to rise to the occasion and ensure the fight against TB, HIV, and Malaria in the State remains strong, community-driven, and sustainable,” he said.
Coordinator, past women Presidents General, Bar. Ekweozor Oge commended efforts of the group towards improvement of healthcare in the communities, pledging continued collaboration to the project.
