By Magnus Emuji
OKPANAM/Nigeria: The Alliance of Civil Society Organizations on Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), Delta State chapter, has appealed for stronger cooperation among community leaders, government authorities and healthcare institutions to address service delivery challenges in the state.
The State Chairman of ACOMIN, Pastor Gregory Sifo, made the call during an advocacy visit to Engr. Ehi Luke Emiantor, chairman of a landlords’ association in Okpanam, where the organisation sought support for the provision of HIV test kits at the Ogbeobi Comprehensive Healthcare Centre.
Sifo described ACOMIN as a Global Fund-supported non-governmental organisation focused on advocacy and accountability at community and healthcare-facility levels. He said the visit was part of efforts to mobilise stakeholders to address identified gaps in healthcare services.
Responding, Emiantor thanked the delegation and pledged to share the request with members of his network to explore possible assistance.
He also urged government and relevant agencies to strengthen routine monitoring of healthcare centres to identify operational difficulties and improve service delivery.
Emiantor attributed some of the challenges facing healthcare facilities to inadequate manpower, noting that health workers were often overwhelmed by their responsibilities.
He further encouraged residents to seek medical attention promptly and avoid concealing health concerns that could benefit from early diagnosis and treatment.
As part of the advocacy activities, the ACOMIN team visited Okpanam High School, where Sifo urged students to pay attention to their health while pursuing their education.
He informed the students that healthcare services were available at the Ogbeobi facility free of charge and encouraged them to make appropriate use of the facility.
The ACOMIN chairman also advised the students to reject bullying and report incidents to their teachers.
The school’s principal, Mr. Williams Dickson, commended the organisation for the outreach and encouraged the students to understand their rights and conduct themselves responsibly.
The engagement formed part of ACOMIN’s community-level efforts to promote awareness, accountability and improved access to healthcare services.
