KAC : Lanto, Shadadi Communities In Dire Need Of PHCC – Advocacy Team

Stakeholders at Shadadi and Lanto communities in Kuje Area Council of the FCT have called on authorities concerned to expedite action and construct a bridge linking the two communities to fastrack socioeconomic development.

They made the call in Abuja when the FCT Advocacy team implementing the Global Fund Cycle Seven visited the area to galvanize community support to fix the primary healthcare facility in Lanto.

The FCT Program Officer, Civil Society for the Eradication of Tuberculosis, Samuel Simon urged the district Head of Shadadi Community to support the Lanto community in fixing the primary healthcare which is currently the closest healthcare facility to both communities.

Responding, a representative of the Shadadi Community, Mr. Samuel Dogara explained that the river is a major barrier depriving the community from accessing healthcare, especially during the rainy season.

He said the community has been soliciting government’s support to urgently construct a bridge to address their plight to no avail.

A volunteer at the Lanto PHC, Mrs Bukola Okin shared her experiences at the course of her work.

“When we have a client at the PHC, we wait for the days that there is no rain, then we know that the water level will be a bit low, so we remove our shoes and then cross the river. And sometimes the water is above the knee length, that is how we have been doing our activities”.

When there is constant rain we can’t cross, even if it rains a day before, we can’t cross, so we have to wait for say maybe two days or more after the rain and there is no sign of rain so that we don’t get stucked in Lanto”.

The team also visited the Acting Head of Department Health for Kuje, Dr. Joash Yako who appreciated the team for their support saying that the government cannot do it alone but expressed readiness to support well meaning Organisations and individuals willing to put smiles in the faces of the citizens especially in rural communities.

According to Dr. Yako, “Honestly this issue of Lanto, we have been on this matter since last year, we summoned the officer in Charge we have even taken action. We will re- strategize.”

“I believe it is the nature of the road that is discouraging them to stay.”

“Concerning Dafara PHC, we are aware of the roofing situation, that the roof has been blown off, I learnt that through your advocacy, the roof was fixed and now it blew off again because of this present raining season, before it was fixed I have personally written to the Area Council management and the primary healthcare board telling them the situation of our facilities’.

“In terms of manpower too we are generally short of Man power. But I still continue to push for interventions to ensure our healthcare facilities are in a better condition.”

The stakeholders called on the FCT Minister to include the community in its ongoing projects to meet the yearnings of the people of the area.

Florence Adewale, Edited By Grace Namiji