… Calls for Urgent Action
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
A Professor of Public Health Parasitology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, and the Executive Director, Malaria Eradication and Safe Health Initiative of Nigeria (MESHI), Dennis Aribodor, says Nigeria remains the headquarters of killer diseases in the country, especially malaria, HIV and tuberculosis, bemoaning what he describes as the lackadaisical attitude of governments at all levels towards the health sector. This is even as he calls for concerted efforts aimed at checkmating the diseases ravaging the nation.
Professor Aribodor made the declaration during a media meeting on the Global Fund Malaria Community-Led Monitoring Project being implemented by Malaria Eradication and Safe Health Initiative of Nigeria under the supervision of Civil Society in Malaria, Immunization and Nutrition, ACOMIN.
Speaking on the role of ACOMIN, the University Don said that ACOMIN played a crucial role in strengthening Nigeria’s community health response with support from the Global Fund through the Principal Recipient to implement the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) initiative under the GC7, saying that CLM empowered citizens to participate actively in identifying service delivery gaps, advocating for solutions, and holding duty-bearers accountable, thereby contributing to improving community health systems and outcomes.
‘ACOMIN remains committed to supporting this effort, empowering communities, and promoting accountability to ensure better health outcomes for all.
‘In Anambra State, the Community-Led Monitoring initiative being implemented by ACOMIN has yielded the following successes this year: ‘Clearing of the Bushy Environment around the PHC Through continuous advocacy to community stakeholders, including the traditional rulers, women’s leaders, and youth leaders. The SAT successfully mobilized community members to clear the overgrown bushes surrounding the PHC.
‘This created a safer and more welcoming environment for both health workers and clients and helped restore community confidence in the facility.
‘Improved Health Workforce Attendance and Availability. The challenge of staff shortage was addressed following the SAT’s advocacy visit to the Director of Primary Health Care, Awka South. As a result of the engagement, a health worker who had previously abandoned his duty resumed consistent attendance. Additionally, a male staff member was deployed to support the Officer in Charge (OIC), helping reduce the workload and improve service delivery at the facility.
‘Increase in Community Patronage and Support for the PHC. Low community patronage was resolved through advocacy visits to the Women’s Town Union and other community influencers.
‘These engagements encouraged women and families to utilize the PHC for their health needs. As a result, community support improved significantly, and more residents began accessing services at the health centre Call to Action to move from shortages to sustainable solutions. ACOMIN urges all stakeholders to get involved, act decisively and collaboratively to strengthen Nigeria’s community health system:
Government Agencies: Federal, state, and local governments must prioritize health systems strengthening through increased and better-targeted investments.
‘This includes recruiting and retaining qualified health workers, ensuring a consistent supply of HIV, TB, and malaria commodities also; renovating and expanding dilapidated facilities.
‘Shortages to Solutions: addressing Staff Shortage, Commodities Stock-out, and Infrastructure Gaps in Community Health across Nigerian communities. It has been observed that our primary healthcare facilities are mostly under strain. From overworked staff due to inadequate human resources to health, empty drug shelves, and leaking roofs. These challenges threaten the quality delivery of essential HIV, TB, and malaria services that millions of community members rely on.
The impact is not abstract; it is felt daily in the lives of mothers who walk long distances only to find no nurse on duty, patients turned away due to stock-outs, and communities losing confidence in their local health systems.
‘The Triple Challenge: shortage of staff, commodities stock-out, and infrastructure gaps, shortage of health workers across several facilities, inadequate staffing remains one of the most significant barriers to quality healthcare.
Many primary health centres operate with only one or two staff members who must cover day and night shifts, leading to fatigue, burnout, an unruly attitude to patients, and inconsistent service delivery.
‘The absence of security personnel also exposes facilities to theft and vandalism. Commodity Stock-outs of essential drugs and testing commodities continue to disrupt services for HIV, TB, and malaria.
‘In the current and previous quarters, several facilities reported shortages of HIV test kits, antimalarial drugs, and rapid diagnostic tools, forcing patients to seek care elsewhere or abandon treatment altogether.
‘Infrastructural Decay. The deteriorating state of many health facilities is an increasing concern. Ageing buildings with cracked walls, leaking roofs, and inadequate ventilation, pose safety risks for both patients and healthcare providers.
In some facilities, there are no functional toilets, power supply, or storage spaces for drugs. These conditions compromise infection prevention, discourage service uptake, and erode the dignity of care that communities deserve.
‘Private Sector and Philanthropists: The business community and philanthropic organizations have a crucial role to play in bridging existing resource gaps. By partnering with the government and civil society, they can sponsor staff welfare initiatives, supply essential medical commodities, and support the refurbishment of healthcare infrastructure.
‘The media remains a vital ally in amplifying community voices, spotlighting the realities on the ground, and holding decision-makers accountable.
‘Journalists and broadcasters can help sustain public attention on health sector challenges, advocate for transparency in resource allocation, and celebrate success stories of communities driving change through the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) initiative.
‘Community, traditional, and religious leaders: these leaders play a vital role in strengthening trust and accountability within the health system. We encourage them to mobilize their communities to actively participate in monitoring the delivery of HIV, TB, and Malaria services, ensuring that identified gaps in staffing, health commodities supplies, and infrastructure are brought to the attention of relevant authorities.
‘By leveraging their influence, these leaders can foster behavioural change, dispel myths about healthcare services, and advocate for improved government and partner investments in health facilities. Their united voice can inspire greater community ownership and sustain local action toward stronger, more resilient healthcare systems.
‘These triple challenges across Nigeria’s health facilities require coordinated action from the government, private partners, media, and communities. Through advocacy and investment, we can transform these facilities into reliable centres of care,’ he concluded.
In their separate speeches, the State Chairman of ACOMIN, Mrs Chioma Okeke; the Director of Public Health, State Ministry of Health, Dr. Afam Anaeme; the Programme Manager of Anambra State Malaria Elimination Programme and the traditional ruler of Umuawulu, HRM, Dr Joel Egwuonwu, represented by Chief Nweke Sunday, collectively urged the government, both federal and state, to take proactive steps towards reducing the break out of deadly diseases in Nigeria to the barest minimum.
