Dauda R Pam MAIDUGURI
Dr. Sule Meleh,the executive director, BORNO state Health Care Development Agency,BOSPHDA,has reaffirmed that the proposed ‘pull down and down sizing of human resources’ (Adhoc staff) from clinics in most of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps by major partners like the UNICEF, would not be a set back, as the Nigeria State Health Investment Project- Additional Financing (NSHIP- AF) is working assiduously to contract these facilities and strengthen its health system.
The executive director,disclosed this on Tuesday in a meeting with members of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), UNICEF Representative, Mr. Jimoh Mohammed, Directors and Deputy Directors of Primary Health Care (PHC) Departments in Local Government Areas of Borno Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.
He said, the meeting was aimed at fraternizing with the stakeholders on how best NSHIP, which is strictly on Performance Based Financing (PBF) approach will key-in to ensure availability and affordability of quality healthcare services, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and combatting HIV/AIDs, Malaria and other diseases amongst IDPs living in resettlement camps, as approved by the World Bank and Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum who have passion for the health sector.
Dr Sule Meleh,used the occasion to commend the unflinching support by development partners, particularly UNICEF which has taken the lead in providing health needs of IDPs in camps across the state, Dr. Meleh stressed that, with coming of NSHIP/PBF in designated clinics of the identified camps, the PIU team and the Directors of PHC department and other staff have to redouble their efforts to ensure 24hr health services for IDPs.
It could be recalled that already, PIU Team have visited 16 IDP camps in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council and Jere, where it carried out a Rapid Assessment (RA) of the clinics in Bakassi, Dalori I & II, Stadium, Muna, Farm Centre, Gubio, Madinatu, Customs House among other IDP camps, adding that based on the Data obtained about the situation of these clinics, there is the urgent need for NSHIP intervention.
Hear him, “We summoned you to this very important meeting because, in the next 10 days, UNICEF which is the major partner with our health facilities in IDP camps are rounding up with their interventions, which means, all existing adhoc staff, from the Health Facility Managers down to a cleaner would have their appointment terminated.
“In this case, there is going to be a huge human resources gap in our Clinics in the camps, and that is why our concerned Governor had to seek support from the World Bank to extend NSHIP intervention into the IDP camp clinics”
“As it is, before this new initiatives, NSHIP have so far contracted over 100 private and public Clinics and General Hospital in Borno Central, North and Southern Senatorial Districts which are presently benefitting from the project, and even if UNICEF downsizes its adhoc staff, and continue providing drugs or commodities to these clinics in camps, NSHIP is coming at a better time than now to restore hope to our IDPs” Dr. Meleh stated.
