...TB Network highlights improved healthcare infrastructure, TB case detection, community participation; calls for stronger partnerships
The Global Fund GC7 Integrated Community-Led Monitoring (I-CLM) Project has recorded significant achievements in improving primary healthcare infrastructure, strengthening tuberculosis (TB) case detection, mobilising community resources and promoting accountability in health service delivery in Ebonyi State.
The project, implemented through the Civil Society for the Eradication of Tuberculosis in Nigeria (TB Network), the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN) and the Association of Civil Society Organizations on Malaria, Immunization and Nutrition (ACOMIN), in collaboration with the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), is designed to identify barriers to healthcare access and promote community-driven solutions to persistent challenges in the health sector.
The achievements, recorded between the fourth quarter of 2025 and September 2026, were highlighted in a brief prepared for a media meeting in Ebonyi State by the state program officer, Mr Okemini Ogbonna..
The initiative operates across 11 states, including Ebonyi, covering 33 local government areas, 99 wards and more than 200 health facilities under the TB Network's implementation component.
Its interventions focus on addressing challenges such as inadequate healthcare infrastructure, shortages of essential medical commodities, stigma and discrimination, transportation costs, gender inequalities and limited access to quality healthcare, particularly among vulnerable populations.
In Ebonyi, the project has complemented the state government's People's Charter of Needs agenda in the health sector through community advocacy, stakeholder engagement and local resource mobilisation.
According to the program officer, one of the project's major achievements is the mobilisation of approximately ₦11 million by the Ochafu community in Igbeagu Ndietta Ward, Izzi Local Government Area, to revive the Ochafu Health Centre project, which had reportedly remained abandoned for nearly seven years.
Through sustained community-led advocacy and stakeholder engagement, the project has reached approximately 80 per cent completion.
Roofing, plastering and ceiling installation have been completed, while the installation of doors and windows and the painting of the facility remained outstanding as of the reporting period.
The intervention demonstrates the potential of community participation and collective responsibility in addressing infrastructure gaps in primary healthcare, particularly where abandoned projects have deprived residents of essential services for extended periods.
Other infrastructure-related achievements include the rehabilitation of the access road to Echara Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) in Ezza South Local Government Area, the repair of the signpost at Edukwuachi MDG Health Facility at a cost of ₦75,000 and the restoration of the generator at Ikwuator MDG Health Facility for ₦15,000.
The project also facilitated the installation of solar lighting in the general outpatient department, labour and delivery unit, and inpatient wards of Ufuezereaku PHC in Ohaozara Local Government Area.
These interventions are expected to improve the healthcare environment and support service delivery, particularly in facilities where inadequate lighting and poor access roads can create difficulties for patients and healthcare workers.
The I-CLM project has also supported efforts to improve the safety and functionality of healthcare facilities through targeted community interventions.
At Ndigwe MDG Health Facility in Izzi LGA, the damaged entrance gate was reconstructed at a cost of ₦83,000 following sustained advocacy.
At Umuakuma PHC in Ohaozara LGA, community vigilante members resumed security duties, helping to strengthen local responsibility for protecting healthcare infrastructure.
The project also facilitated the provision and repair of essential medical equipment in selected facilities.
At Ikwuato MDG Health Facility, a sphygmomanometer and glucometer were procured at a combined cost of ₦57,000 to support blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring.
A drip stand was provided to Umuakuma PHC at a cost of ₦20,000, while an adult weighing scale costing ₦15,000 and a paediatric weighing scale costing ₦40,000 were also procured.
In addition, a hospital bed frame at Ndufu Ameka PHC was repaired for ₦10,000.
At Echara PHC, a philanthropist donated insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) drugs to support malaria prevention among pregnant women.
These interventions underscore the importance of combining advocacy with practical support to ensure that primary healthcare facilities are better equipped to respond to the needs of their communities.
In the area of disease prevention and control, the I-CLM project has strengthened collaboration between community-led monitoring teams and Active Case Finding teams to improve tuberculosis awareness, screening and access to diagnostic services.
Through outreach activities supported by PDX, seven drug-susceptible TB cases were identified across the implementing communities in Ebonyi State.
The cases comprised two in Ndigwe community in Izzi LGA, one in Amuzu and four in Ndufu Ameka community in Ezza South LGA.
As of September 2026, six of the identified patients had commenced treatment at designated directly observed treatment (DOT) facilities, while follow-up was ongoing for the remaining patient in Ndufu Ameka.
The development highlights the importance of taking health information, screening and referral services closer to communities, especially for diseases that may go undetected because of stigma, limited awareness, financial constraints or difficulties accessing health facilities.
Early identification and linkage to treatment are critical to improving patient outcomes and reducing the risk of further transmission.
The project has also used focus group discussions, key informant interviews, client exit interviews and advocacy engagements to strengthen communication between communities, healthcare providers, implementing partners and government stakeholders.
Through these activities, community members have been encouraged to identify service delivery gaps, demand improvements and participate more actively in decisions affecting their health.
Building on the achievements recorded so far, the TB Network has called on government at all levels, development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, community leaders, healthcare providers and the media to strengthen partnerships for sustainable healthcare delivery.
The project emphasised the need to expand health insurance coverage for vulnerable and underserved populations to reduce out-of-pocket expenditure and improve access to essential medical services.
It also called for adequate, transparent and accountable health financing, particularly for the procurement of primary healthcare commodities and consumables, noting that reliable supplies are necessary for effective service delivery.
Stakeholders were urged to prioritise health education and community engagement to promote disease prevention, early care-seeking, treatment adherence and the reduction of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The project further called for the mobilisation of sustainable resources to support health interventions, strengthen community participation in planning and monitoring, and ensure that primary healthcare facilities receive adequate funding, equipment, staffing and other essential support.
According to the initiative's recommendations, community ownership of primary healthcare facilities should be strengthened through volunteering, local fundraising, facility improvement initiatives and constructive advocacy.
Such collaboration, it noted, would help sustain the gains already recorded and enable more communities to benefit from improved healthcare services.
Beyond infectious disease control and healthcare infrastructure, the I-CLM project has highlighted gender-based violence (GBV) as a major public health and human rights concern requiring urgent collective action.
The network identified domestic abuse, rape, sexual assault, early and forced marriage, female genital mutilation and gender-related killings among the forms of violence that undermine the safety, dignity and wellbeing of affected persons.
It called for stronger prevention mechanisms, public awareness, accessible reporting channels, survivor protection and accountability for perpetrators.
The network also urged citizens and stakeholders to reject all forms of gender-based violence, protect the rights of affected persons and support survivors without discrimination or stigmatisation.
Its message to communities was clear: silence should not be allowed to shield perpetrators or prevent survivors from accessing help.
“If you see something, please say something,” the network urged, encouraging citizens to speak up through appropriate reporting channels and support efforts to create safer and more inclusive communities
The media has been identified as a strategic partner in expanding the reach and impact of the I-CLM project through public education, responsible reporting, advocacy and the amplification of community health concerns.
Journalists can help bridge information gaps by educating residents on the prevention of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, encouraging early diagnosis and treatment, challenging harmful misconceptions, and drawing attention to deficiencies in healthcare infrastructure and service delivery.
The media can also promote accountability by documenting community needs, monitoring the implementation of health programmes and providing platforms for constructive engagement among government agencies, healthcare providers, development partners and citizens.
At the same time, responsible reporting on gender-based violence and other sensitive health issues is essential to protecting survivors' privacy, preventing victim-blaming and encouraging access to appropriate support services.
A stronger partnership between the media and community-led monitoring organisations would therefore help ensure that health challenges receive sustained public attention and that evidence from affected communities informs policy decisions and resource allocation.
The achievements recorded by the Global Fund GC7 Integrated Community-Led Monitoring Project in Ebonyi State demonstrate how community advocacy, local resource mobilisation and collaboration can help address healthcare delivery gaps.
From the ₦11 million mobilisation for the Ochafu Health Centre to improvements in facility security, essential equipment, malaria prevention and TB case identification, the interventions illustrate the value of involving communities directly in identifying and responding to their health needs.
However, sustaining these gains will require more than isolated interventions. Government commitment, predictable health financing, continued support from development partners, private-sector investment and active community participation will remain crucial to ensuring that improvements translate into reliable, accessible and quality healthcare.
For Ebonyi State, strengthening these partnerships presents an opportunity to complement existing government health programmes, improve the functionality of primary healthcare facilities and advance the broader goal of equitable access to essential services.
The central message of the I-CLM initiative is that healthcare improvement is a shared responsibility. With sustained collaboration among government, civil society, communities, the private sector and the media, the state can build on the progress recorded and make further advances in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and gender-based violence.
The media briefing witnessed the presence of some health stakeholders, media practitioners, among others.
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