Cross
River State Community Health Department Primary Health Care Program managed by Tulsi Chanrai Foundation
To sustain and be
effective in delivering Primary Health Care services to the people in Cross
River State, especially among rural dwellers and hard-to-reach communities,
Cross River State (CRS) initiated a partnership with Tulsi Chanrai Foundation
(TCF) in 2009 to improve the status of Primary Health Care program in the State.
The baseline survey
conducted in 2010 indicated that the Infant Mortality Rate was 75/1000. Under 5
years – Mortality was 157/1000, Maternal Mortality rate was 545/1000,
Ante-natal Coverage was only 55 per cent, Skill birth attendance by health
workers was 39 per cent and only 74% of one year old children were fully
immunized.
Goals
of partnership with Tulsi Chanrai Foundation and Cross River State are to
achieve the following:
a.
Infant
Mortality Rate - 30 / 1000 Live Births
b.
Under-5
Mortality Rate – 75 / 1000 Live Births
c.
Maternal
Mortality Rate – 250 / 100000 Live Births
d.
Antenatal
Coverage – One visit: 95%; Four visits: 85%
e.
Skilled
birth attendance by health workers – 85%
f.
One
year child fully immunized – 90%
Targeted
population and reach:
The beneficiaries of
the program are population dwelling in the remote areas of CRS. The CRS is
divided into 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs). The program will cover all 18
LGAs in a phased manner. 2 LGAs covered in 2010, 6 LGAs in 2011, another 6 LGAs
were covered in 2012 and 4 LGAs in the final phase will be covered in 2013.
The scope of work in
CRS includes:
- Establishment
of health facilities for every 300-500 families with community participation.
- Training
of health workers in basic midwifery skills.
- Establishment
of a viable health management information system.
- Provision
of drugs with a functional Drug Revolving Fund mechanism.
- Monitoring,
supervision of the health facilities
- Ensuring
community participation to create ownership at the grassroots.
Work in progress:
- TCF
so far has covered 14 LGAs namely Abi, Akpabuyo, Bekwarra, Biase, Ikom, Obubra,
Obudu, Odukpani, Obanliku, Yala, Boki, Etung, Yakurr, Bakassi.
- For
supporting the implementation of the program and for monitoring and supervision
TCF has appointed two Program Managers for South and North Senatorial Districts
of the state in addition to Director-Primary Health Care and General
Manager-Administration.
- In
14 LGAs, a total of 621 Health Facilities are operational and managed by TCF, benefiting 1027 communities with a population 2,460,820.
- Essential
equipment and instruments have been supplied to all health facilities after
taking existing inventory.
- A
fresh baseline survey in 14 LGAs has been initiated to take stock of the health
situation of the population.
- Under
the project, 8 ambulances and 9
pickup vehicles have been made available by the Government to enable doctors to
reach out to remote areas and to quickly transport serious patients to primary
health centres or to the general hospital in Calabar.
 |
| Community Health Worker on her Motorcycle |
- Health
workers have also been provided 102 motorcycles for their outreach programs.
- Identified
94 Health facilities with erratic power supply are provided with Generators.
 |
| Health Workers with a Generator |
- In
14 LGAs, 13 local doctors have been appointed; one vacancy will be shortly
filled.
- Drugs
Stores with essential medicines have been refurbished in 8 LGAs. Seed drugs are
supplied to 8 LGAs.
- Health
Staff appointed by Local Government Service Commission :
-
Community
Health Extension Workers- 618
-
Nurse
Midwives – 167; Laboratory Technicians - 98
-
Pharmacy
Technicians-98
-
Drivers
-28
CHEWs
trained in Midwifery skills and Basic Eye Care
- 980
CHEWs have been trained in Basic Midwifery Skills and Basic Eye Care.
Refurbished
Drug Stores with drugs supplied by DRF Committee
- Central
Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Committees & LGA DRF Committees have been
constituted to monitor the supply and consumption of essential drugs in health
facilities.
- Task
forces consisting of TCF representatives, LGAs representatives and Government
officials have been constituted in 8 LGAs to monitor the effective functioning
of health facilities. Joint review meetings are being conducted at regular
intervals with community leaders to assess the impact on the ground.
- Monthly
performance reports are collated from the health facilities, which are being
reviewed by Task Forces, Community Leaders and TCF representatives and feedback
is sent back to the health facilities.
Impact:
January
2013 – March 2013
While
TCF has reached out to 14 LGAs till date, Health facilities in 8 LGAs (Abi,
Akpabuyo, Bekwarra, Biase, Ikom, Obubra, Obudu & Odukpani) are fully
operational. Health reporting is fully functional in these 8 LGAs from Jan
2013.
- 28,679 people have been provided primary healthcare service by trained community health workers and doctors.
- Community
health workers have registered 5953 pregnant women (12 weeks above) and
ante-natal care has been provided.
- A
total of 3304 deliveries have been registered out of which 3123 have been
performed by health workers.
- 2,789
infants weight was recorded at the time of the birth out of which 1,527 infants
were between 2.5 – 3.0 KGs and 1,104 infants were above 3 KGs only 158 infants
were below 2.5 KGs.
- A
total of 14,206 infants have been registered in health facilities out of which
6133 infants are fully immunized against BCG, DPT, Measles, Hepatitis, Yellow
Fever and 7,421 have been partially immunized, their immunization will be
completed in due course of time.
- 34,349
children under 5 years of age have been weighed at the health facilities, out
of which 341 children were identified as malnourished. 303 children were put on
supplementary feeding out of which 196 have been graduated to normal weight.
- Pregnant
women and under-5 children are given drugs free of cost by the Government under
the free health scheme called Project HOPE and this program is coordinated by
Tulsi Chanrai Foundation.
- No.
of pregnant women and children under 5 treated for some serious diseases:
Diseases
|
Under
– 5 Children
|
Pregnant
Women
|
|
|
264
|
|
|
|
808
|
|
|
|
2,187
|
|
|
|
9,483
|
2686
|
|
|
|
36
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
58
|
|
|
12,742
|
2,782
|
Tulsi Chanrai Foundation is grateful to Cross River State and Four Acre
Trust for their continued support to Primary Health Program at Cross River
State.
To find out more about the project and Tulsi Chanrai Foundation write to info@tcfnigeria.org
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