The Association of Civil Society Organisations in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has identified lack of medical equipment, power and water supply as some of the challenges threatening primary healthcare in Anambra.
Prof. Dennis Aribodor, the Zonal Coordinator of ACOMIN in South-East, spoke on Tuesday in Awka, while briefing newsmen on the COVID-19 Response Mechanism, Resilient and Sustainable System for Health Project.
Aribodor, also the Executive Director, Malaria Eradication and Safe Health Initiative of Nigeria, said that the challenges were identified during the implementation of the project.
He also listed shortage of healthcare workers, high cost of drugs, lack of staff quarters, deplorable condition of ambulances and lack of drivers during emergencies as other problems facing the facilities.
According to him, the state government needs to intervene and address the problems urgently to safeguard the health of residents.
“As we speak today, 100 per cent of the primary healthcare centres lack adequate health personnel, some have one or two volunteers.
“Presently, we have less than nine doctors manning over 300 primary healthcare facilities in the state, which is very poor.
“We call on Gov. Chukwuma Soludo, to pay more attention to primary healthcare facilities; they need to be functional, because they are closer to the people.
“Just as he had done with the education sector by employing about 5,000 teachers, he should also employ more medical personnel to curb shortage of manpower across PHCs in the state.
“The state government can partner organisations and individuals to procure medical equipment, install sustainable power and water supply. All these will help to improve health outcomes,” he said.
Aribodor also urged residents to always access the primary healthcare centres and make report any of complaint to ACOMIN, assuring them that the organisation would take up such complaints with the state government.
Earlier, Mr Wisdom Jacob the Programme Officer, commended community-based organisations (CBOs) for promoting health advocacy at the grassroots.
Jacob said that the CBOs took up the projects to enhance operations of PHCs by donating generating sets, wheelchairs, mattresses, constructing fences and security posts.