Close Out Dissemination: Ebonyi Locals Testify of USAID-IHP's Positive Impact on Health Care Delivery.
As the USAID-Integrated Health Program prepares to close out its support activities in Ebonyi State, the locals have continued to testify of the positive impact the program has made in improving primary healthcare delivery in the state.
In a local government dissemination meeting commenced Tuesday in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, stakeholders at the meeting called on USAID-IHP to extend its project in the state.
They noted that its intervention has greatly improved the capacity of healthcare facilities to effectively respond to health needs of the people, adding that there has been a resultant boost in the usage of health facilities in the communities.
In his testimony, the traditional ruler of Ekwashi Ngbo autonomous Community in Ohaukwu local government area of the state, Ezeogo Michael Nwode, explained that before the coming of IHP, the Health Centre in his Community, MDGs Ekwashi, was without any patronage due to lack of basic equipments and capable healthcare workers.
He emphasized that the training given to the workers, equipments donated by USAID-IHP and other interventions have boosted the capacity of the health facility to perform optimally.
Nwode further explained that because he has accessed care from the facility, and seen the visible improvement in the services offered, he has continued to encourage his subjects to patronize the facility.
"Today, the facility is booming in healthcare services and everything is going on well, and I want to thank IHP for that" Nwode stated.
Another respondent, Bernard Nwodom who is the Ward Development Committee Chairman in one of the Communities said USAID-IHP has done a lot in terms of mobilization of the community people to access services from government healthcare facilities in the Communities.
He noted that IHP as part of its intervention, trained and retrained the Ward Development Committee members on mobilization strategies, after which they gained knowledge to start mobilizing members of their communities on the need to seek quality care from approved health facilities in the community.
Nwodom stated: "Before now, many people don't come to our facility.
"Attendance was just between 3 to 4 percent.
"But because of the interventions of USAID-IHP and the training they gave us, we started mobilizing.
"Today, many people, especially pregnant women and children under 5 are accessing immunization and a wide range of other services, and things are moving well.
"Today I can beat my chest and say that between 80 to 90 percent of the community population are seeking care in the facility, and patronage of traditional birth attendants and quacks have been drastically reduced.
A young mother, Peace Eze, from Ejinike community in Ebonyi Local government area of the State while appreciating USAID-IHP, testified how she was delivered of her baby seamlessly in the community health facility, Ndiegu Okpo, Ejinike MDGs Health Centre, in spite of the initial fear almost instilled in her by a doctor at the Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki.
Eze narrated: "I am very happy for what USAID-IHP is doing in our community.
"They have done so much in our health facility and the village.
"When I was pregnant, I went to the Federal Medical Centre Abakaliki and the Doctor said that my case was tough, and said I must come to the hospital immediately I start having signs.
But I noticed that MDGs healthcare facility in Ejinike has been well positioned, and that they have all the needed equipment and trained workers, courtesy of USAID-IHP, I went there immediately I noticed signs.
"They delivered me of my child successfully and free of cost too.
"IHP also gave me a bag containing some maternal and new born gifts.
"They also gave us mosquito nets and other things.
"Even as I'm talking, if you go there now, you will see that the health facility has been upgraded and is doing very well because of IHP's strengthening.
"The workers have been trained, and they are capable of doing many things
"We are very happy, and I believe that God will help them so that they will continue giving us favour because we are expecting them to come again."
In an opening remark, the USAID-IHP State Director, Dr. Oladipo Akinmade, explained that the goal of IHP is strengthening health systems, increasing access and improving quality integrated primary healthcare services in Ebonyi State.
He noted that since the inception of IHP activities in the state, April 2020, it has successfully implemented high-impact interventions in 171 Basic Healthcare Provision Fund-selected health facilities across the 13 local government areas in the state.
He further explained that the essence of the meeting was to share collective achievements, challenges and thoughts with the aim of charting a road map for sustaining the evidence-based intervention beyond the presence of IHP.
The meeting was organised by USAID-IHP in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health and the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
Highlights of the event included presentation of gifts to some outstanding IHP staff by some facility workers.