PHC Workers Cry Out Over Exclusion From Welfare Package
The avowed commitment of the Kaduna State government to health care delivery to the people may not be realised unless adequate steps are taken to invest in FP commodities and consumables which are only supplied by partners .
This is to arrest some of the challenges including out of stock syndrome and out of pocket expenses by clients characterising maternal and family planning services in most of its secondary and primary health facilities .
This assertion followed a media advocacy visit on Tuesday to some of the facilities, namely, General Hospital Kawo and Zakari Isa PHC in Kaduna North LGA, Rigasa and Mando in Igabi LGA, Television in Kaduna South, and Sabon Tasha in Chikun LGAs Primary Health Care centres.
The advocacy visit supported by the Pathfinder International and being implemented by Kaduna Maternal Accountability Mechanism, (KADMAM) as Smart Advocacy Strategy in Action, (SASA) afforded media the opportunity to see and interact with health care providers in the facilities.
Some of the facilities although equipped with solar power by partners, are compelled to refer cases of premature births to Barau Dikko
Teaching Hospital or Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital due to non availability of incubators and where available, there are no trained technical staff to mann.
Also pediatricians and Lab technicians are lacking .
Worrisome, is the health Legacy Project at Rigasa General Hospital completed over a year ago, yearning to be equipped for use, as the present one lacks enough spaces for theatre among others.
A Family Planning Provider at the facility, Medinat Abidoye said majority of women who are enthusiastic along their husbands prefer Injectable contraceptives which they consider highly effective with implants ranking second in demand, a situation that reflects in other facilities visited.
She emphasized on side effects of the contraceptives including bleeding without availability of consumables to treat them.
At Mando PHC, Mujaratu Rabiu disclosed that at least an average of forty deliveries are recorded monthly with an incubator lying fallow.
While her counterpart at Zakari Isa PHC, Josephine Jatau also spoke of high preference of Injectables to implants which the users claim to have some side effects.
. Above all, she said the PHC was experiencing the out of stock syndrome of consumables but the situation has now normalised.
At the Television PHC, the Asst FP Provider, Mary Sani Mallam spoke of availablity of Injectables but that the centre lacks consumables to treat the side effects of Implants, hence the need to charge in certain areas in order to raise money to buy consumables such as hand gloves, plaster and syringes .
At the Sabo Tasha PHC Which is being run on generator following the vandalized Solar power about a year ago, the Officer in Charge, Deborah Joseph said the centre records an average of 70 to 80 attending antenatal care monthly. She said the centre operates 24 hours using recharged lamps amid insecurity.
On Family Planning, the Provider at the centre, Margret Ambut spoke on the need for Sabo to have additional health facility to bring services closer to the people who live far away coming to the centre.
She contended that all family planning methods are accepted depending on individuals body systems.
She explained that the PHC which also serves as a training ground has been engaging counselling and organising outreaches on FP for both women and adolescents .
Meanwhile, workers at the PHCs have cried out over their exemption from the recent State government welfare package implemented for health personnel in the State civil service. Their exemption, they said, has demoralised them and therefore called on Governor Uba Sani to look into their plights.
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I wish I had read this sooner!