There will be a sharp improvement in the provision of health care services at the primary health care centres across the state with the introduction of Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services, CHIPS Programme.
This was the optimism expressed by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala during the opening ceremony of a-twelve-day train the trainers workshop on CHIPS Programme in Awka.
Correspondent David Okpokwasili reports that
the CHIPS Programme is designed to engage health agents from the coverage area of a particular health centre with the aim for them to move into the community and identify the health needs of the populace especially on issues concerning women and children.
They will serve as an interface between the health care worker there by closing the gap between the primary healthcare workers and residents.
The Programme is facilitated by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA in collaboration with states in the country, qualified for the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.
Explaining further the importance of the programme, Dr Okpala represented by the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu said the programme will help in the early identification and intervention in breastfeeding and Immunization as well as help in ensuring that diseases such as Malaria, Diarrohea, Pneumonia among others are reduced.
He said the reason for the engagement of agents from the ward is to enable them get accustomed to happenings in their locale, have a personal relationship with community members for easy identification and help in monitoring the residents to meet up with their needs while providing holistic information to the populace.
Declaring the training opened, the board chairman, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Professor Josephat Ogbuagu, explained that bettering the health care of the rural population remains a priority of the state government and therefore urged the participants to pay serious attention to the programme to achieve its aims.
Dr Patricia Ejikem, who is the Course Director for CHIPS Programme in Anambra State and the Anambra Support Officer, NPHCDA, Mr. Chukwuma Agbogu in their separate speeches explained that the programme will be piloted in six local government areas.
Highpoint of the programme was the official unveiling of the training manuals.