Mercy Dogary provided this information about the development of Fantsuam's health services.
Fantsuam rural health service
Fantsuam Foundation HIV/AIDS services have witnessed remarkable growth through the sustained support of the Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP) and the Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN). It serves two support groups for people living with Aids (PLWA) and people affected by Aids (PABA) totalling 400 people, provides baseline laboratory tests for 229 vulnerable children and gives support to 363 children to attend school, providing fees, books, uniforms, and school sandals. It works with a 20-member Child Protection Committee and a 13-member Vulnerable Children Coalition Committee.
Recently, whenever the public hospital has closed down due to sectarian crises or industrial disputes, the services of the Fantsuam Clinic have been in high demand. The Clinic has also been designated a DOTS centre (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) by the Jema’a Local Government Health Department which has also approved the provision of vaccinations by the clinic. In addition the new Fantsuam Foundation rural laboratory service provides basic diagnostic services.
The need for a management team
This growth in the range of healthcare services provided by Fantsuam dictated the need to set up a semi-autonomous Health Management Team (HMT) to provide policy guidelines and operational support to the staff of the Fantsuam Rural Health Service. The HMT has its job cut out; it also explores research collaboration to enhance the clinic’s services. Resource mobilisation is another of its major responsibilities to ensure that all patients are provided with equal treatment irrespective of their ability to pay.
Terms of reference
The terms of reference for the HMT are:
• To establish a sustainable health management service
• To provide oversight functions for the laboratory and clinic, including recruitment, discipline, infrastructural development, staff training and development and help to develop its annual budget and work plan.
• To develop and mobilize financial and human resources including provision of internships and volunteering
• To facilitate professional collaboration, research and linkages with national and international networks for service delivery and staff capacity building
• To leverage the Fantsuam rural integration development model for its resource mobilisation.
The Health Management Team is another milestone in the march to achieving Fantsuam’s mission of poverty eradication through an integrated development programme.