NGO urges PHCs in FCT to own, maintain hospital equipment

A Non-Governmental Organisation, The Citizens Health Education and Development Initiative (CHEDI) urged Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to own and maintain healthcare equipment donated to them. Mrs Selina Enyioha, the Executive Director of CHEDI, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday. She […]

A Non-Governmental Organisation, The Citizens Health Education and Development Initiative (CHEDI)

urged Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to own and maintain healthcare equipment donated to them.

Mrs Selina Enyioha, the Executive Director of CHEDI, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

She said that the group was implementing a programme funded by World Bank staff as part of the bank’s Community Connections Campaign in Nigeria, adding that it planned to donate healthcare facilities to six PHCs in FCT and Nasarawa.

She noted that “CHEDI plans to donate healthcare equipment to six PHCs in FCT and Nasarawa State, where our need assessment showed dilapidation of tools.

“We recently donated equipment to three health centres at Yebu and Yewuti in Kwali and Wuna in Gwagwalada area councils of the FCT.

“We donated solar lighting systems, delivery beds, examination couches, tables, chairs, examination trolleys, filing cabinets and hospital beds and bedding.”

She added that the group was very particular about PHCs “because most times

they took deliveries at night, without any source of electricity, with only one staff manning a centre and doing the work all alone.

“You may not believe some nurses take deliveries with the flash light of their mobile phones.

“Some of the PHCs do not even have delivery beds or examination tables: we went to one centre, and the nurse had no seat to sit on.

“If you have the opportunity to go to rural areas as we have done, you will see the decayed and dilapidated state of PHCs and that is why we have high maternal mortality in villages.

Enyioha, however, warned that the use of the equipment donated could only be sustained if communities take ownership and guarantee security. (NAN)