The Gombe State Commissioner of Health Dr Habu Dahiru has called on community and religious leaders across the state to embrace the self-care injection scheme of the federal ministry of health to reduce burden on health care facilities.
Dr Habu Dahiru spoke in an interview on the sideline of a one day orientation for officers organized to inculcate knowledge of self-care including administration of injection for child spacing services.
Dr Habu Dahiru said the self-care scheme will health enhance service delivery in the self-sector while ensuring patient’s safety through rigorous training and re-training.
He added that the state government will continue to provide supports to the implementing partners, like the Pathfinder International, John Snow Incorporated, the World Health Organization WHO, among others.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator John Snow Incorporated Dr Adewole Adefalu said his organization is working to support implementation of the self-care initiative to curb maternal mortality through family planning.
Mr. Lawrence Anyanwu, the Director Family Planning Branch, Federal Ministry of Health pointed that the ministry embarked on a nationwide training programme aimed at transmitting down the knowledge of the guidelines for self-care scheme across the country, and so far, the training had been conducted in three states, and Gombe is the fourth state.
He added that the project will improve service delivery in the health sector across the states.
According to the World Health Organization WHO, Self-Care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent diseases, maintain health and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.
But to achieve these objectives basic trainings are conducted to ensure patient’s safety.