A group operating in Nigeria under the aegis of Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria Network (ATM) , has cautioned communities in Cross River State against act of vandalization of public healthcare facilities.
The group also charged the communities to take ownership of health care facilities sited in their communities stressing the facilities do not exclusively belong to the government lone.
ATM state coordinator (Cross River State), Pastor Effiong Udobong, gave the caution Monday in Calabar when the group paid a courtesy visit to the State Malaria Elimination Officer, Goodwill Efa.
While making a reference to the #EndSARS protests, he claimed it crippled a number of public health facilities which ultimately deprived residents of the affected communities opportunity from having access to healthcare facilities in times of need.
Healthcare facilities in Cross River State that were affected includes the notable health facilities in the state like the Infectious Diseases Hospital and the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital.
Emphasizing on the need to jealously guard public health facilities just as our personal property are guarded, Udobong stated, “we hope to get community members together so they can know that these facilities like Primary Healthcare Centres in their community is not just owned by government but the community.
“Most times, communities do not bother about these facilities and in some cases vandalise and steal from them.
“#EndSARS is a case in point and people destroyed the facilities and at the end of the day their children had no access to healthcare facilities when in need of medical attention.
“The ATM hopes to open the eyes of our people to see that these facilities belong to them and not just government alone.”
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