From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
A public health physician, Dr. Laz Ude Eze, has launched a campaign, MakeOurHospitalWork, a citizen-led community-based advocacy to improve the quality of healthcare services in health care facilities across Nigeria.
Dr. Laz in a statement explained that the project has over 2000 campaigners spread across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and it’s coordinated nationally by a 31-man National Steering Team, state and community team leads at the sub-national levels.
He said: “Inspired by the campaign, TalkHealth9ja, a health communications organisation implemented the Strengthening Accountability in Primary Health Care amid COVID-19, (SPAC) project in Ebonyi State, from July 2021 till December 2022, with a grant support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa.
“The dissemination meeting brought together the project implementers, sponsors, MakeOurHopspitalWork Campaigners and stakeholders to share results and possibly strengthen the campaign in other locations.
“During this project, TalkHealth9ja and the Ebonyi MakeOurHospitalWork Campaign team implemented 48 episodes of a weekly radio show on Unity 101.5 FM Abakaliki, engaged stakeholders and sensitized 14 communities.”
Dr. Laz said they also distributed 300 health policy documents and 2, 000 patients’ bill of rights, donated medical equipment including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worth over N2 million to 14 health facilities, and directly sensitized 36 communities in Afikpo North and Ohaozara Local Government Areas (LGAs) within 24 weeks.
“Consequently, the increased knowledge of roles of communities in primary health care led to increased community ownership and active participation as evidenced by the various interventions they embarked on and leadership roles they started playing towards improving the quality of health care delivery.
“There was reported increase in the use of the PHCs by the community members especially at Umuka Okposi and Ndibe Afikpo. New primary health posts were established by Isinkwo Mgbom Okposi and Amaogudu Ugwulangwu communities.
“Amangbala Afikpo and Amorie Ozizza communities relocated their health centres to better locations while the Amenu Okposi health centre project has reached advanced stage of completion,” he said.
Dr. Eze, used the occasion to make public presentation of his new book titled “How to Make Our Hospitals Work”. He explained that the book contain guides and explained a step-by-step approach for citizens and community action for health.