By Asmau Ahmad
Community Health Research Initiative (CHR) and other stakeholders in the health sector have deliberated and reviewed messages for a coordinated advocacy for positive Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) outcomes in Bauchi state.
The one-day meeting held on Thursday, in Bauchi, also sought the prompt release of budgeted health allocations.
The meeting was organised by CHR, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and supported by United State Agency for International Development (USAID), Integrated Health Program (IHP).
The meeting also had in attendance, government officials and representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
The CHR Project Manager, Salisu Musa Mohammed said that the meeting was to fashion out a unique strategy for effective communications among CSOs and for strengthening relationships between CSOs and government Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs).
“Advocacy messages were developed to bring change in primary healthcare centres,” he said.
Salisu Mohammed identified some of the issues in PHCs to include inadequate distribution of human resource for health, inadequate supply of drugs and commodities, lack of ambulances for emergencies in PHC centres across the state, and inadequate and delays in the release of PHC budgets.
He stated that the issues warranted coordinated advocacy in the state, emphasising, “issues around PHCs have to be advocated for in the state.
“This meeting is held quarterly with stakeholders to identify and discuss advocacy issues. The messages will be for identified policy makers in the state,” he said.
In his contribution, Garba Gamawa, deputy director, planning, research and statistics, Bauchi state Ministry of Health disclosed that the state government has conducted recruitment exercises for doctors and midwives.
He said that 111 doctors and 220 midwives were interviewed during the exercise, while the 2021 health budget had made provisions for the procurements of ambulances.
Earlier, the CHR Program Manager, Ms Zainab Lawal said that the activity would also discuss updates and scorecards of line ministries, departments and parastatals in the state.
Similarly, Mr Jinjiri Garba, chairman, Bauchi State Network for Civil Society (BASNEC), said that CSOs would ensure that coordination and feedback were communicated among stakeholders, for improved primary healthcare services in the state.
