WHO assures Bauchi Govt. support on implementation of National Self-Care Guideline
By Ahmed AHMED
The World Health Organisation (WHO) assured Bauchi State Government of continuing to provide both technical and financial support in the implementation of the National Self-Care Guideline on Reproductive and Maternal Health programme in the state.
NAN reports that the programme is being implemented by the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BSPHCDA) in partnership with White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria (WRAN) and the WHO.
WHO Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.
Dr Mahmood Saidu, State Coordinator of WHO disclosed this at Stakeholders meeting held at Bagari Suites, on Saturday in Bauchi.
The meeting was to brainstorm with critical stakeholders, key partners and service providers in the state to develop a work plan and map out the implementation of Self-Care in the State.
Saidu said the scope of self-care WHO guideline include improved anti natal care, quality family planning services, elimination of unsafe abortion, combating HIV and other infectious diseases, promoting sexual health among others.
He said the vulnerable population may require additional information, noting that, self-care guideline has to do with human rights, gender equality and issue of ethics and reduce the frequency of visitation to health care facilities.
He commended Bauchi State for being selected as one of the states in the country for the implementation of the National Self-Care Guideline on Reproductive and Maternal Health programme in the state.
“It is a welcome development. Although Self-Care is not a thing, with new changes, there is renewed focus on taking it to communities,” Saidu stated, adding that Self-Care means to promote, maintain health and cope with illnesses with or without the healthcare personnel.
Earlier the National Coordinator of WRAN, Mr Christiana Asala, said that Self-Care is a new approach to primary health care.
He said that the objective of the meeting was to conduct a landscape of Self-Care programmes, policies and products in the state.
Asala said that efforts are geared towards establishing community practice on Self-Care and other objectives includes mapping out relevant stakeholders on Self Care and Co-Development of Self-Care 2022 for Bauchi State.
In his opening remarks, Executive Chairman of the BSPHCDA, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, expressed optimism on the Self-Care programme in the state.
Mohammed said the agency has 1000 Chief agents and 330 supervisors across the wards and 20 Local Government Areas that can facilitate the implementation of the programme in the state.
“Self-Care can be an important way of reaching vulnerable groups,” he said.
He said that the agency is currently addressing the challenges of lack of human resources to facilitate the smooth implementation of healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
