The Civil Society in Malaria, Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), has called on residents of Ekiti State to take ownership of primary health facilities in their communities.
According to ACOMIN, such development will help to strengthen the facilities and sustain qualitative health care services.
The Group made the call in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State Capital during the Advocacy Focused Media Meeting designed to create awareness on the Covid-19 Response Mechanism and the Resilience and Sustainable System for Health (C19RM/RSSH) Grant.
Addressing journalists, the Executive Director, Environmental Development and Family Health Organization, EDFHO, Sir Olu Ogunrotimi said the (C19RM/RSSH) Grant project tends to mobilize communities and relevant stakeholders to support government at equipping the health facilities with necessary materials that could enhance health care delivery as well as create better awareness on community involvement.
Sir. Ogunrotimi said the project is geared towards Gender Based Violence prevention and post violence care, Respond to human rights and gender related barriers to services, Community led Monitoring and Advocacy among others.
He noted that the project would be carried out in five local governments of Ekiti state which are Oye Ikole, Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ado and Ijero.
In a remark, a community leader from Ijero Ekiti, Chief Olaofe Aboloyinjo added that the approach in strengthening health care should be seen as a collective responsibility, rather than relying solely on the state government.
“Our urge to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, and other diseases in the State should be seen as a collective responsibility. We must not rely too much on the government before we give ourselves the best health care service that we need.”
On his part, the TB State Coordinator, Doctor Taiwo Benson, admonished the state government to release fund to fight Tuberculosis and other diseases, adding that the renumeration of health workers in the state should also be improved upon.
Dr. Benson also called on government to employ more health workers particularly nurses which he said are lacking in most facilities.
Others who spoke, commended global fund for the initiative saying it would go a long way at improving access to health care services and again sustain the facilities.