ZAMFARA INAUGURATES COMMUNITY HEALTH INFLUENCERS PROGRAMME TO PROMOTE HEALTHCARE DELIVERY
The Zamfara State Government has inaugurated stakeholders sensitisation and community health influencers and promoters services in the state.
The programme’s inauguration was organised by the state ministry of health, in partnership with the state Primary Healthcare Board.
The partnership also included development partners like the United Nations Children’s Education Fund, UNICEF and World Healh Organisation,WHO, among others.
Speaking at the event, Zamfara Deputy Governir Senator Hassan Muhammad Nasiha said the programme was part of government’s commitment to promote healthcare service delivery.
Nasiha said that the state government since its inception had been collaborating with stakeholders, especially the development partners to provide effective healthcare services .
“I am pleased to inform you that the state is fully prepared to implement this programme with the support of all the partners in the State,” he added.
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Also speaking, the Commissioner of Health, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, said the programme’s aim was to sensitize key stakeholders on the community health influencers and promoters service (CHIPs) and roll out the community engagement strategy.
“The programme will promote accessibility to primary healthcare services and community ownership.
“CHIPs programme is one of the initiatives of President Muhammed Buhari and has been launched in some states of the federation.
“The policy aims at ensuring that health programes are implemented in an integrated manner to maximize efficiency and avoid wastage.
“This initiative enjoys the support of all partners e,g, UNICEF, WHO, Malaria Presidential Initiatives and lots of others”, he explained.
The emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello lauded the government’s contribution, as well as the support from partners to promote healthcare delivery in the state.
“As we all know, healthcare delivery is a collective responsibility because the outcome of the delivery affecst everyone in the society,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Tukur Isma’il, Executive Secretary, Zamfara Primary Healthcare Board, noted that primary healthcare was the cornerstone of the state’s health policy.
According to him, primary healthcare has been identified as central to the attainment of universal health coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goal 3.
“The CHIPS programme, established by the NPHCDA and endorsed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, is designed to improve on the Village Health Worker (VHW) concept.
“The VHW programme was introduced as part of the PHC approach in Nigeria in the mid-1980s;.
“Community volunteers selected by their communities were trained to provide basic curative care and provide health education and counselling in health.
“The CHIPS programme is structured to stimulate and support households in communities to seek and obtain PHC services through various delivery platforms.
“These platforms include the facility, outreaches and home services using volunteer CHIPS personnel”, he added.
The representatives of the partners, Mrs Kulu Sanda, commended the Zamfara government for the giant efforts towards inaugurating the CHIPS programme.
“This will help in improving healthcare services delivery for women and children.
“We are ready to continue collaborating with all stakeholders, including the state ministry of health and traditional rulers to promote healthcare services, especially in rural communities”, Sanda added.
