July 29, (THEWILL) – The AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Network (ATM Network) has called for collaboration with the media to strengthen community ownership of primary healthcare centres in Cross River state.
The ATM Network disclosed this during an advocacy visit to the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation, CRBC and HIT FM in Calabar.
Achu Agbor, the State coordinator of the Tuberculosis Network and lead coordinator of the C19RM/NACA/GF/RSSH/GC7 Grant said the State Advocacy Team (SAT), seeks to appeal with the media for partnership.
This is in the area of propagating the message of facilities community strengthening and ownership to maintain an effective and efficient ATM service provision to the people of the community.
Besides, the partnership, also, aims to increase the awareness of the government of the critical and urgent need for employment of health workers in the PHC facilities to avert dilapidated Primary Health Care in the state.
He disclosed that the advocacy visit is intended to see how to escalate some of these issues positively to ensure the sector does not collapse.
He also disclosed that the ATM Network has been working with communities to strengthen community ownership and make it functional, operational and with staff.
In his response, the General Manager of the CRBC, Bassey Nsor, promised to work out a way in the area of advocacy as it’s in the public interest.
Also speaking, Pat Ugbe the Chairman of HIT FM promised to offer a platform for the ATM Network to enlighten the public.
The ATM Networks are collaborating with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, on the Covid-19 Response Mechanism/Resilient and Sustainable System for Health (C19RM) Grant.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
