AYGF urges improved access to healthcare in vulnerable communities

By Aderogba George

Africa Youth Growth Foundation (AYGF), an NGO, has called for improved access to healthcare in vulnerable communities, especially hard-to-reach areas.

The Executive Director of AYGF, Dr Arome Salifu, made the call during a news conference on Wednesday as part of activities to commemorate the 2024 World Malaria Day (WMD) in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WMD is observed annually on April 25 to bring global attention to efforts being made to bring an end to malaria and encourage action to reduce suffering and death from the disease.

The global observance has “Accelerating the fight against malaria for a more equitable world” as the theme for 2024.

Salifu, therefore, said that the theme highlighted the critical importance of advancing health equity, gender equality and human rights in malaria responses worldwide.

He added that “in AYGF, we believe that everyone has the right to quality, timely and affordable services to prevent, detect and treat malaria.

“As a result, we are recommending the engagement of communities in health decision-making because community needs are best addressed with the involvement of members.

“Soliciting their buy-in  guarantees sustainable interventions. These interventions can only be sustained when community members see the need to own and  drive the cause.”

He stressed the need to also address factors that increase malaria risk.

According to him, malaria is an ever-growing issue that will continue to affect and spread if measures are not put in place to tackle it.

He advocated awareness campaigns to enlighten communities on healthy living and adoption of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure that all citizens access the full range of health care as needed without financial restraint.

Salifu called for immediate action and collaboration among stakeholders to improve healthcare delivery.

He said “the change we seek in healthcare cannot be done alone, that is why as an organisation, we identified relevant partnerships.

“As we join the rest of the world to commemorate World Malaria Day, let’s unite to accelerate the fight against malaria for a more equitable world.”

He said public health is one of AYGFs seven thematic areas, with major focus on malaria, Gender-Based Violence, mental health and nutrition “and we work to contribute our quota to the healthcare sector.”

He said AYGF had infused Intermittent Preventive Therapy for Pregnant Women (IPTPW), a malaria prevention component that focused on pregnant women.

“This includes the administration of Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine monthly at the beginning of the second trimester.

“Through this intervention, AYGF in two years reached upto 1,373,674 pregnant women in Niger, 273,976  pregnant women in Katsina and 727, 679 in Kogi,” he said.

He said that the aim is to prevent malaria among pregnant women and protect their children.(NAN)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu