Civil Society Urges Philanthropists, Others To Invest In Public Health

Networks of Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has called on philanthropists and the private sector to invest in public healthcare services delivery to complement the government’s effort towards affordable and qualitative basic healthcare services for all citizens.

The call was made during the 2024 annual review meeting and media briefing organised by ACOMIN, which was held in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State.

The group noted that there is a need for the private sector and philanthropists to include financing in the public healthcare sector to bridge the infrastructural gap in the sector.

“Funding critical infrastructure in the healthcare sector, donating medical equipment, and other interventions will directly enhance service delivery and improve patient outcomes,” it said.

“The state of our healthcare infrastructure is a source of concern to all, and it requires a collective effort between government, private and general public to transform it into safe, efficient, and reliable for both patients and healthcare workers,” it added.

“During the ongoing implementation of our Community-Led Monitoring project, it was observed that many health facilities are housed in ageing buildings that have significantly deteriorated over time, most of the structures often exhibiting visible cracks and leaking roofs, raising serious safety concerns for both patients and healthcare workers.

“More so, we observed that frequent power outages undermine national healthcare delivery policies, particularly across the rural primary healthcare facilities, these strain the service delivery and compound the cases of Maternal/Child Death Rate.

“The compromised states of these buildings not only undermine the quality of healthcare services but also deter community members from timely seeking care against any ailments,” it stated.