Nigerian Government Engages 100,000 Agents Under Community Health Services To Reduce Maternal Mortality

By Joseph Edegbo

Kaduna ( Nigeria) – Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib has said that the Federal Government is engaging 100,000 agents under the Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS) programme to reduce the high rate of maternal and child mortality as well as other primary healthcare challenges in the country.

CHIPS, is a community-based programme whereby individuals with basic criteria including commitment, agility, well known will be selected by traditional institution to carry out basic medical needs of the people in their communities, diagnose and call on the next point of call when necessary.

Dr. Shaib disclosed this to newsmen on Monday, in Kaduna, Northwest of the country at the sideline of  a meeting with Northern traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Delivery

The agents, he said, must be residing within the community and would be adequately trained before deployed to render the services the programme is targeted.

He said, the development became necessary because Nigeria is losing about one million women and children to preventable medical conditions.

Dr. Shuaib stated that the gathering of the northern traditional committee on PHC was  to review what they  were able to achieve in 2017 and strategising for high priority intervention in communities this year. ” This means going back to the basis, the community to engage the traditional institution knowing fully well that we cannot have meaningful progress as regard to provision of healthcare services to our people without listening to them.

“This is in furtherance of CHIPS programme that was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari two weeks ago in Nasarawa state where he asked us to roll it to every state through the traditional institution as closest to the people at grassroots.

“This became necessary because Nigeria is losing about one million women and under 5 children to totally preventable causes on yearly basis. Women are dying from bleeding before getting to facilities while children are also dying from malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.

“So to reduce these deaths, these CHIPS agents will be living and working in their communities. For example, if there is complication around pregnancy, these CHIPS agents can raise alarm. It is all about reducing maternal and child deaths in the communities”.

He further stated that, the success of the initiative is on the traditional rulers, “they are expected to engage with their state government and other opinion leaders.

The  Emir of Argungu in Kebbi State and Deputy Chairman, Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on PHC, Alhaji Mohammed Ismail Mera who also spoke, promised to make the programme work as envisaged by federal government and other interest organisations.

The meeting was also attended by officials of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency,  development partners among others.