First Lady Inaugurates Village Health Workers Scheme

The First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Dame Patience Jonathan, has inaugurated the Village Health Workers Scheme and distributed 1,480 uniforms to the workers.

She described the inauguration as part of efforts aimed at achieving the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).

She said: “The launch of this scheme today is a firm commitment of Mr President’s desire to give Nigerians access to better medical care and at the same time create jobs for the rural populace.” She said.

Beneficiaries were selected from 148 local government areas across the 36 states and the FCT. 

Mrs. Jonathan advised the health workers to make good use of the opportunity adequately carrying out their responsibilities and fulfilling the purposes of the scheme.

“As you do your job, ensure that you mobilise women, children and men, to use the health facilities provided by government and other donor agencies.” She said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr Precious Gbeneol, said Nigeria currently had 62,700 registered community health workers serving a population of more than 140 million and maintained that the number will be scaled up annually until a huge nationwide coverage is reached.

Dr Gbeneol said the workers were expected to assist health facilities, manage health promotion, conduct routine household visits to discharged patients and carry out data collection on health issues. According to her, they will also support linkage and distribution of contraceptive commodities, report prevalence of health-related cases in parts of the community or ward.

She said that about 1,400 health workers have been trained across the six geo-political zones through the scheme. She also said the scheme was planned in collaboration with the state and local governments as well as the National and State primary health care development agencies.

Speaking on behalf the governors, Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State said the scheme would improve the living conditions and lives of many communities in Nigeria. He said the purpose of the scheme was to improve the attainment of the MDGs at all levels of government. He also told the health workers to show serious commitment in order to realize the aims of the project.

Rep.  Alhassan Doguwa, Chairman House Committee on MDGs, who represents Tudunwada/Doguwa, Kano State in the House of Representatives said that most communities had suffered for inadequate access to health care for a long time and the scheme would help to promote the health condition of such communities.

He showed gratitude for the efforts put in place by the MDGs Office and other stakeholders, saying that the commitment would enhance the nation’s health care delivery.

The United Nations Country Representative, Mrs Sarah Sievels, said that the UN would support the MDGs Office in a bid to ensure that all its programmes were successful.

Miss Bumi Olukosi, one of the village workers’ head who was decorated by Mrs Jonathan with the uniform, said she appreciated God for using her in the service of humanity and promised to discharge duties with diligence.