By Magnus Emuji
A group known as a Civil Society Organization on Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has urged government, corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals as well as community leaders in the society to assist in prevention of HIV/AIDS by supporting in the supply of test kits to healthcare facilities.
The Delta State Chairman of ACOMIN, Pastor Gregory Sifo made the call in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the State during an advocacy visit to a community leader and the Ikejani-Enyi of Okpanam, Chief Felix Okafor.
Sifo, who stated that there has been alarming increase in the HIV cases across Nigeria with Benue State topping the charts , noted that recent statistics shows that Delta State has over 51,000 people with HIV/AIDs and that something should be done to reduce it from rising.
He reminded the community leader that the advocacy visit was a follow up with their earlier meeting where the organization solicited the support of the community to be able to equip Ogbeobi Health Centre with HIV/AIDS test kits and other important healthcare needs .
While informing the Ikejani-Enyi that they have been making efforts to interface with the local government chairman, Chief (Hon.) Innocent Esewezie to appreciate him for transforming Obodogba Healthcare facility into Cottage Hospital, Sifo said that they intended to meet with him again in order to seek more collaborative measures aimed at ensuring that the healthcare institutions in the community were strengthened for more effective service delivery.
Responding, the Ikejani-Enyi of Okpanam, Chief Felix Okafor promised to convey their request for test kits to some of their illustrious sons and daughters in diaspora, especially those with medical and health related background who are working in various health institutions and community association in America to see if they could support.
Chief Okafor , however, assured the ACOMIN team that he would intimate Hon. Esewezie of their intentions to pay him advocacy visit concerning healthcare centres in the community, just as he commended ACOMIN for its modest contributions towards the upliftment of healthcare facilities not only in the community but the State at large through their advocacies and intervention.
In a related development, the ACOMIN State Chairman, Pastor Gregory Sifo led his team on an advocacy visit to the Director of Nursing Services in the Delta State Local Government Service Commission, Mrs. Patricia Enagoma in her office in Asaba.
Speaking during the visit, Pastor Sifo said that they were in her office to find out the extent the Local Government Service Commission had gone concerning their request that there should be recruitment of Nurses and other staff to address the acute shortage of Nurses at the various PHCs.
He appreciated the Director of Nursing Services for her unwavering determination towards ensuring that healthcare facilities were equipped with relevant manpower, particularly qualified nurses in order to complement the efforts of the few ones that were already overwhelmed with multitasking duties.
Addressing the ACOMIN team, the Director of Nursing Services in the Local Government Service Commission, Mrs. Patricia Enagoma revealed that their Union had formally written to the State Governor on the need to employ Nurses and other relevant staff who would be working at the primary healthcare facilities, acknowledging that various PHCs were in dire need of Nurses.
She suggested that the local government chairman should also assist in employing Nurses and other health workers.
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