A Year of Advocacy; Strengthening the Pillars of Community Health in Nigeria

 



 


Alhamdulillah, it has been an incredible journey and I am happy to mark a significant milestone, a full year I transitioned from being a Community Health Student to being a Registered and Licensed Community Health Practitioner.


Over the past twelve months, I have dedicated my voice, thoughts, and pen to one consistent cause, the recognition, revitalization, and reform of community health practice in Nigeria. It has been a journey of truth-telling, a journey of drawing attention to both the visible and silent struggles of the practitioners who serve as the first line of defense in our healthcare system i.e the Community Health Practitioners. Even though, I had to decide for myself, the path I'll continue which may not be entirely the same with the Community Health Program.


In my numerous reflections, I have written on their roles and significance, how they are the heart of primary health care (PHC) delivery in both rural and urban settings; how they are the bridge between the people and the health system; how they are the embodiment of preventive, promotive, and curative health at the grassroots. I have echoed repeatedly that without a strengthened PHC and a motivated community health workforce, our national health aspirations will continue to hang on fragile promises.


I have also discussed the advancements within the profession, the evolution of training institutions, the regulatory oversight of the Community Health Practitioners Registration Board of Nigeria (CHPRBN), and the relentless work of professionals who, despite poor working conditions, still deliver life-saving services to communities often forgotten by the larger system. These advancements, though commendable, remain incomplete without structural and policy-driven support.


Equally, I have not failed to spotlight the challenges, unemployment among graduates, years of casualization and volunteerism without remuneration, poor funding of Primary Health Care (PHCs), lack of equipment, and the glaring neglect from policymakers. I have raised questions that demand answers. How do we expect commitment without compensation? How can we build a healthy nation when those who sustain its health at the base are left unsupported?


In my advocacy, I have not merely pointed out the problems; I have suggested practical solutions. I have called upon the ASSOCIATION OF REGISTERED COMMUNITY HEALTH PRACTITIONERS OF NIGERIA ®️ (ACHPN) to rise beyond annual congresses and become a proactive voice of reform. I have appealed to the Federal, State, and Local Governments to absorb trained practitioners into the system, regularize those working as casual staff, and prioritize PHC funding. I have stressed that health is not just a social service but a pillar of national strength and wealth.


This consistent effort is not for applause, but for attention and action. The message remains clear: If Nigeria truly desires a functional, people-centered healthcare system, it must begin from the base by empowering community health practitioners, strengthening primary health care, and respecting the structures that sustain life in the most remote corners of our nation.


I may be one voice, but this voice will continue to echo until our leaders understand that community health is not just a profession, 'it is the lifeline of our nation’s health system'. 


®Ahmed Salim Jn ✍️ RCHP 

#Uloko

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