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Agency to train 200,000 community mobilisers to tackle maternal, infant mortality

Agency to train 200,000 community mobilisers to tackle maternal, infant mortality

NAN-HG-6

Health

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, June 22, 2017 (NAN) The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Thursday says 200,000 Community Health Influencers and Promoters of Service Providers (CHIPSP) will be trained to tackle maternal and infant mortality across the states.

The Executive Director of the agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this at the inaugural quarterly media interactive forum with journalists and civil society organisations in Abuja.

Shuaib said that the new plan was to raise the figure from initial 25,000 to 200,000 to urgently combat the rising cases of maternal and child mortality.

He explained that in each political ward, 20 women would be trained to carter for women and children in their immediate communities.

According to him, such women will be given necessary training to provide first aid assistance to pregnant and sick women as well as children in rural areas before referring such to health centres.

The director said that it would be reviewed after the four years programme and those that showed good skills among the mobilisers would be sponsored for further training.

“These people will also include Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) who will be working to assist women to check early signs or danger in pregnant women so that such can be evacuated to health facilities.

“We want to move away from a situation whereby unskilled workers will be assisting in delivery in communities,’’ he said.

Shuaib however regretted the failure of the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS) which he attributed to the midwives posted to rural areas.

He noted that most of the beneficiaries posted were reluctant to stay in villages, complaining that there are no basic amenities for them to work with.

Shuaib also disclosed that NPHCDA was trying to repackage and relaunch the MSS to serve communities better.

According to him, the agency had made a mandatory service for nurses and midwives graduating from school of nurses and midwifery to have one year compulsory service in rural areas.

Shuaib gave an assurance that the agency would work with other partners to reduce maternal and infant mortality to its lowest level. (NAN)

MS/JIE/MST

Edited by Julius Enehikehuere/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

FCTA to partner NPHCDA to develop PHCs

FCTA to partner NPHCDA to develop PHCs

NAN-H-34

Collaboration

By Kabir Muhammad

Abuja, March 29, 2017 (NAN) The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has said that the FCT Administration would collaborate with the NPHCDA to develop the Primary Health Centres in the territory to globally acceptable level.

Bello said this when he received the management of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) led by the Executive Director, Dr Faisal Shuaib, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The minister also assured that the FCT administration would work very closely with the agency to ensure that all the risks associated with public health in the FCT were reduced to minimal risk level.

He promised that the administration would provide the needed support to realise that objective.

Bello asked NPHCDA to use FCT as a model to showcase the standard expected of an ideal PHC that would be replicated across the country.

The minister lauded the presentation made by World Health Organisation (WHO) on the team on the status of immunisation in the FCT.

He noted that the report has provided a lot of insight into the state of immunisation in the FCT and the gaps needed to be filled.

“This comprehensive presentation for me is an eye opener because now I know from what I have seen here that we need to work harder in order to take our primary healthcare activities in the territory to the acceptable standard,’’ he said.

Bello recalled the exemplary performance of the public health workers nationwide during the unfortunate period of Ebola disease.

He paid tribute to the health workers that paid the supreme price in their efforts in serving humanity.

The minister also lauded the efforts of the public health officials in the eradication of Poliomyelitis in the country.

Shuaib had earlier commended the minister for the giant steps taken so far, which he said have demonstrated the commitment of the FCT administration in developing the health sub-sector.

He said the approval given by the minister for dedicated budget line for the health sector and the building of 12 model PHCs in various communities in the territory were highly commendable.

He said that the re-activation of the taskforce on polio eradication and timely release of counterpart fund for immunisation have gone a long way in strengthening the efforts to eradicate polio from the FCT.

Shuaib said that the agency was working round the clock to address reports of the outbreak of meningitis in the territory. (NAN)

KM/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola