By ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
Communities across Delta State have been urged to strengthen their Community Health Development Committees (CHDCs) to drive grassroots-level malaria prevention through enhanced mosquito net usage, timely testing, and robust health education initiatives.
This call was made by Sir Austin Uwede, Delta State Programme Officer of the Civil Society in Malaria Control, Immunization, and Nutrition (ACOMIN), during a media briefing held in Asaba. The briefing focused on the Global Fund’s Malaria Community-Led Monitoring Project currently being implemented in the state by ACOMIN.
Uwede emphasized the need for communities to take greater ownership of their local health facilities, stressing that the involvement of CHDCs is critical for achieving long-term improvements in primary healthcare delivery. He also called on the private sector to treat malaria as a productivity issue and contribute meaningfully through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives by supporting health facility upgrades, health worker training, and Insecticide-Treated Net (ITN) campaigns.
“The media must play a vital role in reorienting community leaders and mobilizing support for these interventions. When communities understand and embrace their roles, health outcomes improve significantly,” Uwede noted.
He highlighted ACOMIN’s notable achievements across the state, including:
- Rehabilitation of a water pumping machine at a PHC in Ughelli South
- Restoration of electricity and donation of plastic chairs to Jeddo PHC in Okpe
- Ejection of illegal occupants from staff quarters at Owhelogbo PHC in Isoko North
- Donation of blood pressure monitors and waste bins by local residents, including an Okada rider, to facilities in Aniocha South
In his opening remarks, Pastor Greg Sifo, ACOMIN’s Delta State Chairman, described the media briefing as a strategic platform for reviewing progress and reinforcing strategies that ensure no community is left behind.
“The media doesn’t just inform—it mobilizes. It draws attention to health issues, encourages volunteerism, and promotes public participation in critical decisions affecting community health,” Pastor Sifo said.
State partners present at the briefing, including representatives from the State Malaria Elimination Program (SMEP), the Delta State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, the Society for Family Health, and the Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, commended ACOMIN’s impactful work.
In their goodwill messages, they emphasized the importance of mosquito net usage and community sanitation—particularly clearing overgrown vegetation—as the rainy season approaches. Mrs. Grace Sifo, representing the HIV/AIDS agency, disclosed that procurement of malaria test kits was at an advanced stage following a recent advocacy visit to the Secretary to the State Government.
Also speaking, Mr. Azubuike from the Primary Healthcare Development Agency assured that ongoing renovations of Primary Health Centres across the state, in collaboration with global partners such as the World Bank, would soon extend to facilities yet to be upgraded.
The forum concluded with a renewed call for unified action among stakeholders—government, civil society, media, and communities—to sustain the fight against malaria and promote healthier living across Delta State.