The talkhealth9ja and Make Our Hospital work team dey go round Ebonyi to make sure say people understand wetin dem suppose do to upgrade or build dia health centres.
Di Amuro people collect dis advice come upgrade dia health centre and we get di complete success story from dem and e dey here with plenty grammer:👇🏽
The people of Amuro through the leadership of Amuro Welfare Union had approached some NGOs and set up a health committee in order to help lessen the burden of their people when it comes to healthcare services.
The 10 man committee made up of 2 representatives each from the 5 components that make up Amuro had solicited for and gotten a land from the village in a location that was a sacred forest.
With the passion for better and easier healthcare service in mind, the location of the land didn’t deter them and with the partnership from the NGOs and aid from a community member, the health centre was set up.
Some items needed in the centre like Burglary proof for the health center, security man, Sumo and overhead tank was provided by a prominent Amuro man.
Health workers, all nurses, some drugs and some delivery equipment were also provided by the Ebonyi state Government.
The problem of not having a doctor is however always felt by the Amuro people as their bigger health challenges are always transferred to a hospital very far from their community.
Another problem they faced was the issue of just having routine malaria drugs in stock. Very often when other drugs are needed, the patients are asked to provide money so the health worker can go outside to purchase them.
Another very serious challenge was lack of security because the health center isn’t fenced and this gave room to vandalism. Other issues were funds to pay the security man and fuel generator because of low power supply in the community.
There was also the issue of certain equipment and items needed in the facility like Nets for the windows, GP tank, Bp apparatus, Children weighing scale, Drip stand, Delivery forceps, digital fetal heart, table and chairs, drug shelves, delivery couch, trolley, glucose test kits, wheelchair and beds, as they only have 2 beds in a 6 bedroom health centre.
The health committee having gotten in contact and been sensitized by the Make Our Hospital Work team through the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) radio sponsored program, Talk health9ja which aimed to enlighten the communities on the formation of Community/Village Health Committee and strengthening of existing ones as required by the National Health Act 2014 and referenced in the Ward Health System developed by the Government of Nigeria, organized a townhall meeting for 24th June 2022.
The meeting which saw in attendance 50 villagers including health workers, aimed to inform, educate and sensitize the attendees on the need to maintain their health facility.
The meeting also educated the health workers on the best approach suitable for the village to ensure equitable delivery of primary health services to the villages within and outside the health facility.
The villagers took into note their obligations to the healthcare facility and pledged to support in any way possible. At this time, the need list was read and certain villagers promised to take responsibility of some items.
The village also received a gift of a customized Make Our Hospital Work hand washing bucket with stand presented by Afikpo Make Our Hospital Work Campaign lead, Mr Onyemuche Egwu.
The health committee also promised to reach out to prominent sons of the soil for assistance in certain areas of structure for the health facility.
At this point, the villagers know their obligations and are working towards it to ensure they have a capable and functioning healthcare facility and this was made possible by the MakeOurHospitalWork campaign in partnership with OSIWA and presented by Talkhealth9ja Media vigorously carried out in the community.
