SAT meets with Baale of Isashi, MoH @Iba LCDA - ITREALMS

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The Lagos State Advocacy Team (SAT) Coordination on Network of AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control recently met with the traditional high chief of Isashi Waterside, Baale Yaya Fagbayi, in his palace, reports ITREALMS.

They also met with the Medical Officer of Health (MoH) Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Dr. Omowunmi Oreagba with intention to activate more collaboration for Isashi Primary Health Centre (PHC).

These visits were part of the Community Based Organisations (CBOs) implementation projects’ drive for the Isashi primary health facility for the six-month duration, which yielded a significant results through the combined efforts of the stakeholders.

The State TB network Coordinators and SAT lead, Mrs Ifelunwa Aipoh appreciated the Baale’s collaborative efforts in smooth success recorded at Isashi primary health centre, describing it as a clear evidence of stakeholders optimum cooperation on the projects.

ITREALMS gathered that parts of the success story at Isashi Primary Health Centre included the restoration of public power supply to the facility, which has been non-existent over four years, functional laboratory which has paved the way for more medical tests to be conducted at the facility and provision of BP machines.

Responding, Baale Fagbayi, noted that the team’s effort has helped to grow the residents’ patronage of Isashi facility, thereby making health care accessible to the people.

Fagbayi also commended the positive and noticeable impacts the projects made at Isashi primary health centre within few months, and called for more progress.

"People are going to Health Centre now, during ante-natal. Go to the health centre and see the numbers, very high patronages. What the primary health centre has in facilities, some private hospitals do not have it, including the competent nurses. You have done well in our health centre with many changes at the facility," he enthused.

The State Project Officer (SPO) Mr. Taiwo Adakan, also enjoined the community chief to notify the team on any incidence of domestic violence for a proactive action on such cases.

Equally, at the Medical Officer of Health (MoH) office, Iba LCDA, Dr. Omowunmi Oreagba was intimated on the level of activities carried out by the groups over the period under review at Isashi PHC and seek collaborations within the council area.

Adakan also appreciated the MoH"s cooperation since the inception of the projects, emphasizing that one of the objectives of the project is to ensure that issues identified at the primary health centre are resolved by the community stakeholders thereby allowing people’s inclusion to complement government’s efforts, while the ones beyond their capacity (unresolved) are escalated to the MoH for onward solutions.

According to the Executive Director, Community Development Foundation (CADEF), Mr Evans Enwefah, critical issues identified at the onset of the project was lack of power supply which has been restored, stockout of consumables and drugs resolved or distributed by MoH within one month of advocacy, the replacement of one-way scale to weighing scale by Officer in Charge of the facility (OiC) with support from Primary Healthcare fund.

Additionally, he mentioned none motorable road to the facility which was attributed to flood while lamenting, it hinders people movement whenever it rained around (Iyana-School) and enjoined the team lead to reassure the MoH the project’s mandate extend to LGAs actor.

The ATM team lead who doubles as the State Coordinator on TB network, Mrs Ifelunwa Aipoh re-affirmed the project’s approval from the State Ministry of Health and Primary Health board while compiled reports are presented from time to time on the level of the projects to the Permanent Secretaries.

Reacting, the MoH, Dr. Omowunmi Oreagba appreciated the team’s visit, stressing that she serve as a link to the grassroots, to the health and the primary health facilities within her jurisdiction, as such deserved to be appropriately informed by the CBOs on their activities.

“I was posted in January, within six months power has been restored to Isashi, Kenberi, Okoko and Oba Adesina based on our efforts," the MoH said, requesting proper protocols to access the facilities when handling issues at the health facilities.

Also, the State Coordinator on AIDS network, Mr. Patrick Akpan explained that NGOs are not working parallel to one another but working together to complement government efforts in the community, and solicited continuous collaboration between the CBOs and government organs.

Gbemi Omotoso/Editor

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