Strengthen PHCs at grassroots, U.S-based NGO appeals to Govts
NEWS DIGEST–A U.S-based NGO has called on the three tiers of government to strengthen Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to improve access to care, workforce performance and infrastructure building at the grassroots.
Dr Grace Ogiehor-Enoma, the Executive Director, National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.
According to her, ensuring access to needed healthcare services is critical and an extraordinary opportunity to improve the health and wellness of the rural dwellers.
NAN reports that NANNNA is a united organisation of Nigerian Nurses Organisations and Nursing School Alumni in North America, Mexico and Canada.
One of the core missions of the organisation is to create opportunities for collaboration in the healthcare communities, both locally and internationally, to improve the quality of health of Nigerians.
Ogiehor-Enoma said: “As you know, most facilities in the rural areas in Nigeria generally lack adequate personnel with poor human resource management practices, irregular salaries and poor funding.
“Some centres do not have a laboratory with equipment to run tests, some use lantern to take child delivery due to lack of electricity, no running water, toilet, drugs and ambulance to carry patients to upper level of care.
“These barriers result in unmet healthcare needs including lack of preventive and screening services, treatment of illnesses, and costly hospital care.
“The country can improve healthcare delivery at the grassroots by having functional PHC system that provides qualitative healthcare services to the people.
“Reforming healthcare toward a system that is equitable and sustainable is to strengthen PHC through infrastructure building, training primary healthcare teams at the grassroots and providing medical equipment.“’
The executive director said that NANNNA was committed to improving rural health, build on the community health outreach success and ensure continue access to quality healthcare at the grassroots.
According to her, NANNNA has added the “Adopt Primary HealthCare Centre Initiative 2020”.
“The initiative is part of our take us to your village health programme.
“NANNNA, through this programme, encourages her members to go back to their villages and states to help improve the health of the community.
“This programme focusses on four areas of improvement, including improving environment of care and capacity building of healthcare providers.
“Also, data management and record keeping forms are essential basis of monitoring, implementation and evaluation; process and outcomes of activities are clearly documented to ensure transparency, accountability and follow-up.
“For primary healthcare to succeed, it requires organisation and mobilisation of the community.
“NANNNA is working with the PHCs’ Local Government Chairmen, the state Commissioners for Health and the governors to support the initiative, “ she said.
Speaking on nurses attitudes, Ogiehor-Enoma said that NANNNA was working toward improving attitudes of nurses to deliver quality service and patient care by organising training programmes.
According to her, nursing practice is both a science and an art that requires scientific knowledge, skills and a demand for great attitude.
She said: “In Nigeria, the public view about the nurses and midwives is that they are uncaring and poor attitude.
“Whereas, personal conviction that informs actions, the environment, state of health and wellbeing may affect one’s attitude, which is a major challenge for nursing practice, education and management.
“Personal interaction is the most important function in a high complex environment; so, nurses must be trained to function in this new environment and to gain the trust of the public.
“NANNNA, with consultation with the Federal Ministry of Health, integrated an education programme into NANNNA health and medical mission.
“The plan is to implement the retraining, knowledge, attitude and practice initiative focussing on “Patient Satisfaction: A must for Nurses“, a workshop and skills competency programme across the country. “ (NAN)
