ACOMIN has commenced training of two Community-Based Organizations in Taraba

 

From Godwin Agia, Jalingo

The Association of Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization, and Nutrition (ACOMIN), a civil society coalition on Wednesday commenced the training of two additional Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)  aimed at eradicating malaria in Taraba communities.

Alhaji Tanko Danburam, ACOMIN State Chairman, disclosed this in Jalingo during a two-day training focused on "Changing the Malaria Narrative in Taraba," targeting nine local government areas in the state.

"The ACOMIN component, referred to as Community Led Monitoring (CLM), focuses on gathering input from service providers, recipients of services, and affected communities in a routine and systematic manner that translates into action and change. 

"We are working in close collaboration with the Ministries of Health, National and State Malaria Elimination Programmes, the Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), and the Roll Back Malaria project in thirteen states, including CRS and its sub-recipients, such as the Society for Family Health, Management Sciences for Health, Malaria Consortium, the mass media, and other relevant stakeholders.

"The Community Led Monitoring Initiative focuses on the availability, access to, and quality of malaria services, improved budgetary appropriation and community investment, and enhanced human resources for health. We have achieved tremendous results by involving the community in monitoring and taking ownership of their health outcomes, he said.

Speaking at the event, ACOMIN National staff member Mr. Hule Richard explained that the organization's aim is to work with relevant stakeholders to improve the quality of AIDS, TB, and Malaria (ATM) services in Taraba communities.

According to Richard, ACOMIN also aims to complement the state government's efforts to improve health service delivery by working with community stakeholders to address challenges identified by the CBOs.

"ACOMIN has been funded by the Global Fund to implement the Community Led Monitoring project in Taraba State. The project is being implemented in nine local government areas in the state. Since starting in 2019, we have engaged additional CBOs, bringing the total to 18 organizations implementing this project in the state."

"We are working in collaboration with the state government, complementing its efforts, and more importantly, working with community stakeholders to listen to their concerns and challenges affecting the quality of ATM services, and bringing these concerns to the attention of the government for immediate response," Richard said.

Participants at the training who spoke to our correspondent thanked ACOMIN for organizing the training and expressed their readiness to assist ACOMIN in achieving its goals.