By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
United States Agency for International Development - Integrated Health Programme (USAID-IHP) has encouraged journalists to scale up coverage of the basic healthcare provision fund implementation and other health-related activities to unravel the level of compliance to their original ideals.
The Knowledge Management Specialist, USAID-IHP, Mr Uchenna Anoke appealed for this in a 2-day media engagement on increased Media coverage of RMNCH+NM information, stories and issues held in Clevero Hotel Abakaliki, Thursday.
"Issues of maternal, newborn, and child health; reproductive health and family planning; malaria and nutrition are not given the desired coverage by the media. As a result, the media must act as a bridge between citizens and the government to ensure adequate access to and quality of PHC services. The media must be strengthened to bring burning health issues to the table to prompt government action for positive impact," Anoke hinted.
Further, a Health Financing Expert, Ms Chidinma Eneze called on the Ebonyi State government to step up funding to the Health Sector to ensure increased access to Health Care services by the citizens.
Ms Eneze who is also the Acting State Technical Director for the USAID-IHP in Ebonyi State emphasized that increased and consistent funding of primary health facilities would translate to increased access to services by healthcare service seekers over time.
She encouraged the government and its agencies to prioritize the sector going forward to secure a more healthy society, pointing out that increased investment in the health of the citizens would result in a decline in maternal mortality and morbidity.
“If the government is doing all they are supposed to do, we wouldn’t be here, the Government can do more, most people are still struggling to access health care, and there is serious under-prioritization of health by the State government.”
The Desk Officer, Ebonyi State Basic Health Care Provision Fund, Dr Leonard Alegu who spoke on behalf of the Executive Secretary EBSPHCDA Dr Chihurumnanya Alo, identified knowledge gaps of heads of Primary Health Care Providers as a snag in the accessibility of quality health care services in the State.
Recall that the Chairman, of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Ebonyi State Council, Comrade Tony Nwizi represented by Dr Boniface Nwankwo assured that Journalists would henceforth keep the activities of Health Care Providers in the Primary Health Care Centres in proper checks through independent and investigative journalism.
