BY VICTOR NWEGEDE
A Non-Governmental Organization known as Development and Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation (DIG Foundation) has entered into partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve the health sector in Ebonyi State.
The Foundation has in its avowed determination to revive the health sector in Ebonyi, embarked on the training of the key stakeholders of the State on Integrated Health Programme (IPH) for massive improvement in the system.
The Foundation has organised a two-day training programme for each of the three Senatorial zones in the state, where the key stakeholders including the members of Civil Society Organizations, Ward Development Committees, the Town Union Presidents and Pressmen were trained on how to contribute to the development of the state's health sector.
Speaking during the programme, the Advisor of the USAID-IHP Leadership and Governance, Mrs Chinyere Ikwuakor, said the training would help in boosting the health sector in the state.
According to her, "the participants are selected from various communities in the state, and the three senatorial zones are well represented.
"They are being trained on standard provisions of ward health system.
"The organisations are also being trained on national health promotion policy and basic health provision of fund. "
The Advisor further said that the participants have been charged to dig deeper into ways of improving the health system in the state, by getting involved in budget planning to contribute to the development of the health sector.
She said that civil society groups, which participated the programme should be part of the state budget planning until implementation, and enumerated their major roles including influencing political officeholders to ensure approved projects being completed accordingly and timely.
Ikwuakor equally charged the town union leaders to show more commitment in strengthening health facilities in their various communities, and expressed optimism that the training would be of great assistance to them in improving the system.
“The essence is also to engage them in designing, implementing, planning as well as monitoring health projects in their domains.
“We want full community participation and citizens’ engagement in health issues to improve the system.
“The training will give them better understanding of their roles and make them know about things happening around them,” Ikwuakor said.
On his part, the Director of the Foundation, Mr Oliver Aja, advised the representatives of the various CSOs and Ward Development Committees to incorporate rurul dwellers in the training to ensure participation in development and implementation process of health budget in the state do not suffer set back.
The Director ably represented by Mr Emmanuel Abah - the Training Facilitator, urged participants of the training to be the ambassadors of the Foundation by promoting its goals in their respective areas.
According to Ajah, the Foundation aims at ensuring budget for the health sector is captured for effective primary health care service delivery.
Meanwhile, the participants of the training programme including israel Ekene Mbam and Sunday Nwonu thanked the organisers for their supports to promote the health sector in Ebonyi, and assured of making positive contributions to change the urgly narratives heralded about the health system in the state and other parts of the country.
