In its effort to fill gaps in the health sector, particularly as it relates to AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (ATM), the Association of Civil Societies in Malaria Control, Immunization, and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has concluded its advocacy visits to five Local Government Areas (LGA).
ACOMIN took its advocacy against ATM to Tai, Khana, Obio/Akpor, and Port Harcourt LGA Headquarters, as well as the Primary Healthcare facility at Eleme LGA.
In her opening remarks during the visits, which lasted three days, the Rivers State Programme Officer, ACOMIN, Mrs. Maryjane C. Akwuaka, explained the reason for the visit.
“We, the State Advocacy Team for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, are here to introduce to you the programme called COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C-19 RM) Project for health.
“The project is all about identifying gaps in health facilities in our various Wards. When we identify these gaps, we’ll advocate for solutions to them”, she said.
Also speaking, the Rivers State Coordinator, Network of people Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Blessing Chigozim, explained that beyond identifying the gaps, efforts are made to ensure that such gaps are closed.
“The major concern of this programme is not just to identify gaps, but to also ensure that the gaps are closed.
“Towards this end, all the Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) working in the communities are to work together as a team to ensure that the purpose and objective of this (ATM) programme is achieved in the LGAs”, she said.
The gaps, according to the State Chairman, ACOMIN, Pastor John Ihua-Maduenyi, includes issues and or factors that constitute impediment to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria patients from accessing services in health facilities in various communities.
He said: “Some of the gaps may be that people complain about the distance to the facility, or, for pregnant women, that they prefer Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). The facility may be inaccessible due to the bushy nature of the path to it, etc.
“These gaps when noticed are to be reported to the leadership of the community by the Ward Development Chairman (WDC) for solution, because it’s a community project, communities are expected to own the facilities.
“When the challenge is beyond the communities, it’s escalated to the LGAs. It’s when the LGAs cannot handle it that ACOMIN comes in to escalate escalate it to the State Healthcare Board for solutions”.
For every gap noticed, advocacy is taken to well meaning individuals, companies, organisations and government at various levels for solution, she explained further.
“That’s what this programme is all about: up-take and good service”, the ACOMIN boss concluded.
At the Tai LGA Headquarters, the Supervisor for Health, Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Hon. Lesor Mascot Friday, who represented the LGA Chairman, assured ACOMIN that the LGA will always support any venture that will be beneficial to it’s citizenry.
In Eleme LGA, the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) at the LGA’s Primary Healthcare Center, Dr. Tonye Lawson-Jack, while assuring ACOMIN of necessary collaboration, used the opportunity to eleborate on internal efforts already in place.
“We have actually explored the approach you intend to use in the past. However, there’s no number of times you will say is too much to keep trying. So, we are glad that an independent body is taking it upon itself to synergise with the advocay for which we already have a unit”, he said.
The MOH of both PHALGA, and Obio/Akpor LGAs, Dr. Obellay E. Abbey and Dr. Stanley Amadi respectively also assure on collaborating with ACOMIN in the ATM Project.
It was the same assurance at the Khana Primary Healthcare Center, where the Local Immunization Officer (LIO), Monica Kpugimaape, spoke on behalf of the MOH.

By: Soibi Max-Alalibo