By Veronica Dariya
Bwari, Abuja
WaterAid Nigeria, an NGO, in collaboration with Bwari Area Council have projected over N500 million investment plan for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), in six Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Bwari.
The organisation made the proposal during a one day “Validation Workshop on Local Investment Plans (LIP) for Six Primary Healthcare Institutions” in the council, on Monday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the six selected pilot sites included Dutse-Alhaji, Owner Occupier, Sabon-Gari, Byazhin , Dei-dei and Ushafa PHCs.
NAN also reports that the proposed LIP budget, totalling N521,655,000, intends to improve WASH services, Environmental cleaning, Health Waste Management, Monitoring and Evaluation in the six selected centres, from 2025 to 2030.
In his address, Mr Nampet Chuktu, WaterAid Head of Programmes, said that the organisation worked alongside stakeholders in the council, to facilitate and put in place the “significant document and investment plans.
“This is so that, we are not guessing what is there or supposed to be there next year or the year after, but that we are able to determine what is supposed to be at the centres because that has been validated and documented.
“With these document, we can advocate for budget release.”
Chuktu urged the representatives of each of the PHCs represented at the workshop, to help facilitate and make sure that the overseeing authority at the FCT Primary Health Secretariat, helps situates the document properly.
He also noted that, WaterAid, with funding support from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint Charities, would finance 30 percent of the project, while the council finances the remaining 70 percent.
In his presentation, Mr Kabiru Abbas, a consultant, said that there was need for the council to embark on critical infrastructural development as well as other components of WASH services in all the PHCs.
According to him, the development of WASH in health investment plan would contribute significantly to ensuring funding towards the improvement of the services in the health care facilities.
“The LIP is a comprehensive plan for attainment of SDGs within the Area Council.
” The situation of WASH services in health institutions in Bwari Area Council has been precarious and requires lots of investments in infrastructure.
“LIP is the outcome of a participatory process which involves assessment of gap and setting of priorities, timelines and required resources for achieving the set objectives.
“It is also an evidence based, life-cycle costed and through a participatory approach involving mix of stakeholders.”
Mr Isa Musa, Head of Administration of the council, who received and adopted the document on behalf of the council chairman, assured the organisation and other participants of the councils’ speedy action.
NAN reports that WaterAid Nigeria had supported a 12 months project to improve access to WASH in PHCs within Bwari.
The project, included construction and rehabilitation of water facilities, sanitation facilities and installing handwashing in selected healthcare facilities, for use of health workers, patients and visitors.
The organisation’s support for the development of a six-year WASH in health investment plan for the council was a sustainability strategy to maintain this project.
NAN also reports that participants at the event included officers from the health, environment and finance departments of the council, officers in charge of the selected PHCs, traditional leaders and other WASH collaborators. (NAN)
