By Godwin Agia, Jalingo
The Association of Civil Society Organisations in Malaria Control, Immunisation and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has l carried out a two-day advocacy visit to key government health agencies to close the gap in health service delivery in Taraba State.
Alh Mohammed Tanko Danburam, Team Lead, emphasised during the advocacy in Jalingo that patients are being forced to travel to other facilities or purchase medicines from private pharmacies, increasing costs and delaying access to care.
He explained that the visits is aimed to present community feedback on gaps affecting malaria, maternal health, and HIV services.
According to Danburam, the team engaged four agencies, including the Taraba State Ministry of Health and the Primary Health Care Development Agency where they presented the absence of ultrasound scanner services at Nyaja Primary Health Care Centre and stock-outs of malaria treatment commodities.
He said that the affected facilities include First Referral Hospital Sunkani and Manji PHC, Gassol LGA, and Denden Primary Health Care Centre in Donga LGA. The team also highlighted shortages of HIV testing kits at Lufu PHC in Takum LGA.
Danburam stressed that addressing these gaps is critical to strengthening community health systems and ensuring residents have access to life-saving interventions.
"We are representing community voices, and the lack of Malaria and HIV compels patients to travel to other facilities or purchase medicines from private pharmacies, thereby increasing costs and delaying timely access to care," he said.
Responding, Malaria focal person Mr. Muhammad Mahmud of the Primary Health Care Development Agency, Coordinator, Logistics Management Coordinating Unit, Pharm. Ada Frank, and Mr. Bala Zungyeri, Secretary, Taraba State AIDS Control Agency, all noted with concern that the issues will be investigated and acted upon within the shortest period.
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