Renowned philanthropist and healthcare advocate, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, has emphasised the need for greater community involvement in strengthening Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
At a recent forum on healthcare reforms, he highlighted community participation as a critical factor in improving service delivery, accessibility, and overall health outcomes at the grassroots level.
“The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation is actively involving communities in health planning and implementation across Nigeria. By mobilizing community participation, we can create more responsive and sustainable healthcare systems that truly meet the needs of the people,” Aig-Imoukhuede stated.
The Alma-Ata Declaration, adopted in 1978 at the International Conference on Primary Health Care (PHC) in Alma-Ata (now Almaty, Kazakhstan), was a landmark global health policy emphasizing PHC as the key to achieving “Health for All.”
Key highlights of the declaration include: Recognizing health as a fundamental human right. Defining PHC as essential, community-based, and universally accessible healthcare.
Stressing the importance of intersectoral collaboration in achieving health goals.
Calling for government action, international cooperation, and community participation in strengthening PHC.
Specifically, section VII.5 of the declaration states that “primary health care requires and promotes maximum community and individual self-reliance and participation in the planning, organization, operation, and control of primary health care.” This ultimately aims to create more effective, sustainable, and culturally appropriate healthcare delivery systems.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines community participation as “a process by which people become actively and genuinely involved in defining the issues of concern to them, making decisions about factors that affect their lives, and in planning, developing, and delivering services.”
In Nigeria, the National Health Policy and the Sustainable Community Engagement Strategy highlight the importance of community participation in PHC delivery. These documents outline strategies that support community involvement in health planning, management, and monitoring.
“This collaborative partnership between community-based organizations, stakeholders, village heads, Ward Development Committees (WDCs), women leaders, facility in-charges, and community members has proven instrumental in addressing healthcare challenges and enhancing service delivery,” Aig-Imoukhuede said.
Since the introduction of the Strengthening Community Engagement and Accountability for PHC (SCEAP) project, there has been: A 55% increase in weekly patient turnout at PHCs. A 30% increase in monthly visits. A 70% increase in outpatient consultations and antenatal care services.
Ward Development Committees (WDCs) and Village Development Committees (VDCs), established in 2001, have facilitated greater community involvement in healthcare decision-making, leading to more tailored health interventions and enhanced accountability in service delivery.
Introduced in 2019, the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) is a funding mechanism designed to provide financial support to PHCs across Nigeria. It aims to: Improve the quality and accessibility of PHC services.
Ensure adequate funding for essential health services, including immunization, maternal and child health, and disease surveillance.
A study found that 98.2% of patients were satisfied with PHC service delivery, influencing increased utilization of these facilities.
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation recognizes the critical role of community structures like CHIPS and WDCs in ensuring effective PHC delivery. Through its Adopt-a-Health Facility Programme (ADHFP), the foundation is actively:
Providing structured training programs to WDC members to strengthen leadership and governance capacities.
Supporting existing funding structures for multi-stakeholder review meetings.
Strengthening feedback mechanisms between communities, WDCs, and PHC workers.
“This will equip WDCs to co-design, track progress, and monitor program implementation, mobilize resources for community initiatives, and oversee community health workers’ activities. Improved transparency and oversight will ultimately lead to better outcomes at PHCs,” he added.
Over the years, the Nigerian government has implemented various community-based healthcare programs, including:
Community Health Workers (CHWs) Program (1978): Trained CHWs to provide basic health services, health education, and immunizations in rural areas.
Community Health Influencers, Promoters, and Services (CHIPS) Program (2018 – Present): Enhancing community health participation through trained community health influencers and promoters.
COVID-19 Community Response (2020 – 2022): Mobilized CHWs to provide health education, contact tracing, and preventive material distribution.
SCEAP Project (2021 – Present): Implemented by BudgIT Foundation with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the initiative promotes transparency and community-led healthcare monitoring.
Enhanced community engagement will: Improve trust between communities and healthcare workers.
Expand funding and resource availability for PHC programs. Increase service utilization and healthcare accountability.
To learn more about how you can contribute to strengthening primary healthcare in Nigeria, visit Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation or PSHAN.
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