Nkechinyere Ewa, Abakaliki
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Global Fund have reaffirmed their commitment to improving primary healthcare services in Ebonyi State through the rehabilitation of a health centre in a rural community, with a strong appeal for community ownership and protection of the facility.
Speaking during an inspection visit to the project site, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Nigeria, Charles Lotion, described the facility as one of the 150 health centres being upgraded across the country with support from the Global Fund.
He commended the Ebonyi State Government and community leaders for facilitating the project and urged the contractor and consulting engineers to ensure quality delivery.
“Our role is to provide a state-of-the-art infrastructure. I appeal to the contractor and engineer to do a very clean and quality job that this community will be proud of. We want this facility to remain in excellent condition even years after it is handed over,” he said.
Lotion stressed the importance of protecting the equipment and infrastructure from vandalism, noting that the project is designed to improve access to quality healthcare services for women, children and other residents of the community.
He encouraged community leaders to mobilize residents to utilize the health facility once completed, especially for immunization, maternal healthcare and treatment of common illnesses.
Also speaking, UNICEF Chief of Field Operations and Emergency, Judith Leveillee, said the rehabilitation project is aimed at restoring quality healthcare services to the community.
She explained that the health centre would be equipped with solar power, potable water supply and improved sanitation facilities to enhance healthcare delivery.
“We met with the contractor, engineers, health workers and community leaders. Our hope is that the rehabilitation will be completed quickly so that services can be fully restored. This facility will provide quality healthcare to women, children and families in the community,” she said.
Leveillee expressed confidence in the collaboration between UNICEF, the Global Fund and the Ebonyi State Government, assuring that the project would significantly improve healthcare outcomes in the area.
She thanked Governor Francis Nwifuru, the State Ministry of Health and other stakeholders for their support toward the successful implementation of the initiative.
The Executive Secretary of the Ebonyi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Ovuba Chukwuemeka, described the project as a major intervention facilitated by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency through the Global Fund and implemented by UNICEF.
He commended UNICEF for its commitment to quality and timely delivery of projects, noting that only four primary healthcare centres in Ebonyi State were selected for the revitalization programme.
“The community is fortunate to benefit from this project. UNICEF is known for maintaining high standards, and we are confident that the people here will receive the best healthcare services when the project is completed,” he said.
Chukwuemeka disclosed that the agency would relay the community’s requests for perimeter fencing and improved security to the state government while also working with community members to ensure proper maintenance of the facility.
On concerns about the absence of medical doctors at the health centre, he acknowledged the shortage of doctors in the state due to migration but assured residents that efforts were being made to deploy healthcare personnel, particularly doctors from the area, to the facility.
Speaking on behalf of residents, Women Leader of the Ward Development Committee (WDC), Mrs. Uhuo Celine, lamented the shortage of healthcare workers, especially doctors, at the centre.
According to her, the absence of doctors has contributed to avoidable deaths in the community and remains the most pressing challenge facing the facility.
She appealed to the Ebonyi State Government to post medical doctors to the health centre and increase the number of nurses serving the area.
The Community Leader, Chief Friday Ogbe, assured UNICEF and its partners that the facility and equipment would be adequately protected and maintained by residents after completion.
The rehabilitation project is expected to enhance access to quality healthcare services, reduce maternal and infant mortality, and strengthen primary healthcare delivery in the benefiting community.
