The COVID-19 Response Management programme has empowered Barnawa, a community in Bauchi local government area to harness resources through rice farming to manage its primary healthcare centre.
Our correspondent reports that the initiative, funded by Global Fund through the National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) and implemented by the Network of People Living With HIV and AIDs in Nigeria (NEPHWAN), supported Barnawa residents to deploy proceeds made from rice cultivation to buy drugs and manage the hospital to complement the governor’s efforts in providing quality healthcare services.
Also, the initiative is being implemented in about five local government areas in the state including Darazo, Misau, Katagum and Tafawa Balewa to empower communities to address health issues in a sustainable, equitable and effective manner to combat HIV/AIDs, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Speaking at a media parley, Bauchi State programme coordinator, Global Fund and chairman of NEPHWAN, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said the COVID-19 Response Management Programme was aimed at improving healthcare services in vulnerable communities.
He explained that the programme enlightened residents of the benefiting communities on the need to safeguard hospitals and deploy them for an effective service delivery.
Mr Ibrahim added that volunteer health workers were supported to contribute their quota in addressing health manpower shortage in vulnerable communities across the five local government areas where the project was being implemented.
He said the communities were also empowered to ensure proper documentation of medical records and harmonisation of drugs between service providers and consumers to enhance efficiency.
