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Kano health workers want more funding for PHCs

By Murtala Muhammed and Abba Anwar (Kano)
26 October 2015   |   4:00 am
WORRIED by the inefficient service delivery of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Kano, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Kano State chapter, has advocated proper investment in the sector, which they alleged is merely surviving on assistance from international donor agencies.

NIG-HEALTHCARE-CopyWORRIED by the inefficient service delivery of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Kano, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Kano State chapter, has advocated proper investment in the sector, which they alleged is merely surviving on assistance from international donor agencies.

Outgoing state chairman, Kabiru Ado Minjibir, who spoke at the 9th state delegate conference of the union insisted the state government has not not done well in management of primary health care, a sharp deviation from the postulation of national health policy document, which postulated that primary health care, which accounts for 70 percent of the health care requirement of all Nigerians must be adequately funded, properly equipped and staffed with trained professionals.

He noted that, “there is urgent need for full funding of the state primary health care management, which was currently more or less being run by donor agencies. There should be full transfer of all finances including payment of its staff salary to enable it function effectively as provided by the established law.”

Kabiru also uses the occasion to demand payment of outstanding six percent balance of the CONHESS and implementation of promotion benefits to deserving members at the state primary health care management board as well as other health workers.

The union, which accused the government of delaying salaries of newly employed staff in the state health sector, queried what he described as unjustifiable retirement notice served on some primary healthcare officers after eight years of attainment of terminal point of grade level 14 and 15.

Kabir, however, lauded the efforts of the state government to provide health coverage through the state contributory health scheme, which the union hope would be extended to the rural communities.

Meanwhile, in order to address the rising cases of sexual and gender-based violence, the Department for International Development (DFID), Justice for All (J4A) and other organisations have established Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and Niger states.
The Country Director of J4A, Dr. Bob Arnold, disclosed this to participants at a one day conference on “An integrated response to sexual and gender-based violence and the role of sexual assault,” organised by DFID, J4A and other organisations in Kano.
He said, “We have been following this trend in the last four years. Which makes us to also call for effective and efficient administration of justice.”

According to him, they have been working with civil society organisations, police, ministries of justice, especially Directorate of Public Prosecution and other stakeholders.

He stated that sexual assault was a big challenge in places like Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and Niger states amongst others, stressing that the effort was a response to the rising cases of sexual and gender-based violence across Nigeria.

That is why we supported the establishment of the Sexual Assault Referral Centres in Lagos and Enugu states, which will address the gaps for support services for victims by providing medical and counselling care following incidents of rape, sexual or gender-based violence,” he said.
Arnold stressed that the conference was part of the approach needed to effectively combat sexual and gender-based violence.

The conference was attended by judicial officers, lawyers, medical personnel, law enforcement officers, gender activists and other relevant civil society organisations from Bauchi, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina and Kaduna states.

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