Project ATM, in collaboration with various health facilities, held a media review meeting during which they Commended the Kwara state government led by His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for creating an enabling environment for them and urged to provide counterpart funds for healthcare in the year 2022 and 2023. The meeting took place at Golden Sand Hotels in Irewolde, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Mr. Yusuf Muftau Animasahun, the State Coordinator for the Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and the Lead Coordinator for ATM C19 RM Global Fund Project in Kwara State, spoke with journalists during the meeting. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to assess the quality of healthcare services provided at primary health centers supported by global funds and the state government. These facilities are jointly supported by the mentioned organizations.
Animasahun stated that their role involves visiting healthcare facilities in grassroots communities to evaluate the performance of health workers in areas such as Malaria, HIV/AIDS, TB, and COVID-19. He also mentioned that the project has expanded to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in these communities. Emphasizing the importance of HIV testing, he encouraged people to prioritize getting tested to know their status.
Mr. Olatunbosun Oluwafemi, the State Coordinator of ACOMIN, expressed his appreciation for the Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) working with them. He commended their dedicated work in the facilities and their efforts in sensitizing communities to take ownership of the healthcare facilities. He also noted that the improved attitude and behavior of health workers have instilled confidence in clients to utilize government health facilities. Oluwafemi urged the government to streamline the recruitment process for health workers.
Nageri Tunde Abdullahi, the Executive Director of the All-Round Helping Hand Foundation in Kwara State, praised the program and described it as a global event. He expressed concern over the low turnout for testing and encouraged the public to visit appropriate facilities in case of any unusual symptoms, emphasizing that the treatments are free. Abdullahi also commended Governor AbdulRazaq’s efforts in combating malaria in the state and urged him to do more.
Mrs. Oshiniwe, the Kwara State Coordinator for the TB Network, discussed the progress made in addressing Gender-Based Violence and TB. She highlighted the increased number of people seeking help for GBV and the advocacy efforts carried out by the group to support healthcare facilities.
Opara Robbert, the RSSH C19 RM State Program Officer, described the project as community-based and announced plans to expand to other Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the next phase of the project.
