ACOMIN has raised fresh concerns over widespread staff shortages, drug stock-outs, and dilapidated infrastructure across primary healthcare centres in Delta State, warning that the challenges continue to undermine access to HIV, TB, and malaria services in vulnerable communities.
Speaking during a media engagement held at the Delta State Secretariat in Asaba, the State Program Officer of ACOMIN, Austin A. Uwede, said the situation is already taking a toll on patients who depend on rural health centres for survival.
“These gaps are not statistics — they are daily realities,” Uwede stressed. “Mothers travel long distances only to meet empty facilities, patients are turned back due to lack of drugs, and communities are losing confidence in the health system. We must move from shortages to sustainable solutions.”
Triple Burden Crippling Community Health
Uwede outlined three major challenges affecting service delivery:
Severe Staff Shortage
Many PHCs operate with only one or two workers covering 24-hour shifts, resulting in burnout, inconsistent services, and in some cases, unruly attitudes towards patients. The absence of security personnel has also exposed some facilities to theft and vandalism.
Frequent Stock-outs
Several facilities reported running out of HIV test kits, antimalarial drugs, and rapid diagnostic tools in recent quarters, forcing patients to abandon treatment or seek care elsewhere.
Decaying Infrastructure
Leaking roofs, cracked walls, lack of functional toilets, and poor power supply are common features in many PHCs, compromising infection prevention and discouraging service uptake.
Community-Led Monitoring Turning Challenges Into Success Stories
Despite the setbacks, Uwede announced significant progress under the Global Fund-supported Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) project, which enables citizens to report service gaps and advocate for solutions.
Some of the notable achievements in Delta State include:
Construction of a waiting hall at Uwheru PHC funded by diaspora community members
Complete renovation of labour room and female ward with A/C, water heater, mattresses, and children’s cots by the Rotary Club at Pessu PHC, Warri South
Donation of beddings, benches, BP apparatus, weighing scales and restoration of electricity at Odovie PHC in Ughelli North
Provision of a new water pumping machine at Ekrerhavwen PHC, Ughelli North
Supply of drip stands, thermometers, glucometers, and consumables at Ovrode PHC, Isoko North.
Reconstruction of soakaway system at Bulu-Apelebiri PHC in Patani LGA
“These are not isolated gestures,” Uwede noted. “They show what happens when communities take ownership and partners respond.”
‘What We Are Doing Is for Humanity’ — ACOMIN Chairman
Earlier, the Delta State Chairman of ACOMIN, Pastor Gregory Sifo, praised Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) for driving visible improvements across the state.
“ACOMIN activities have improved because of the CBOs,” he said. “People have started taking ownership of health centres in their communities. This meeting is to brief the media so these success stories can be amplified.”
Call for Stronger Collaboration
ACOMIN urged stakeholders to act decisively:
Government — recruit more health workers, ensure uninterrupted supply of commodities, and renovate ageing facilities
Private sector and philanthropists — support infrastructure upgrades, staff welfare, and medical supplies
Media — spotlight realities on the ground and hold policymakers accountable
Community and traditional leaders — mobilize citizens to monitor services and advocate for improvements
Uwede emphasized that transforming the health system requires shared responsibility.
“The challenges are real, but so are the solutions,” he concluded. “Through advocacy and investment, we can turn our primary health centres into reliable hubs of care. ACOMIN remains committed to empowering communities for better health outcomes.”