Daniel Atori 
A non-governmental organisation under the auspices of Civil Society Working on Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN) has called on the Federal, State and local governments to prioritize healthcare infrastructure in their budgets for better welcoming spaces for both patients and healthcare workers.
Making this known during a media briefing on the Global Fund Malaria Community-Led Monitoring Project, the State Coordinator of Civil Society Working on Malaria Control, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), Mr Olasukanmi Kalejaiye said increased funding is essential for renovating and upgrading facilities.
According to him “comprehensive policies should be implemented to ensure regular maintenance of healthcare infrastructure and timely replacement of outdated medical devices”.
He said that as a result of the successful completion of the NFM 3 Malaria Grant, the Global Fund has approved another three-year Malaria Grant for Nigeria, led by the National Malaria Elimination Programme and Catholic Relief Services.
Accordingly, the State Coordinator said, “I am calling in the federal, state, local governments, Private Sector, Mass Media and Communities to increase investments in the upgrading and maintenance of the much-needed facilities and to view healthcare investment as part of their social responsibility.
“We observed that many health facilities are housed in ageing buildings that have significantly deteriorated over time. These structures often exhibit visible cracks and leaks, and roofs are on the verge of collapse, raising serious safety concerns for both patients and healthcare workers. The compromised states of these buildings not only undermine the quality of healthcare services but also deter community members from seeking care.”
While speaking on inadequate Medical Equipment at facilities, Mr . Kalejaiye said “There are lack of functional medical devices in some primary healthcare centres like essential diagnostic tools such as weighing scales, sphygmomanometers, and thermometers.
“Without these functioning devices, healthcare workers are unable to perform basic procedures, which then result in delays and misdiagnoses”.
Mr. Kalejaiye however disclosed that, when PHCs consistently fail to meet patients’ needs due to a lack of medical equipment, communities lose trust in the healthcare system.
He added that, as a consequence, patients travel to better-equipped facilities or private clinics to access necessary diagnostic and treatment services, which leads to increased out-of-pocket expenses.
He further disclosed that the implementation of the grant is ongoing in (13) states namely Ogun, Delta, Osun, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Gombe, Yobe, Katsina, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger, and Jigawa states.
Accordingly, he said, “ACOMIN component covers 130 LGAs, 260 wards, and 260 health facilities across all 13 states and in Niger State, the community-led monitoring initiative being implemented by ACOMIN has yielded successes this year.”
