As part of renewed efforts to improve service uptake in Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) across Plateau State, the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) project convened a high-level stakeholder engagement meeting on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at Villa Grande Hotel in Jos.
The gathering brought together Directors of Primary Health Care (DPHCs), Monitoring and Evaluation Officers (M&Es), Officers in Charge (OICs), Ward Development Committee (WDC) chairpersons, and Medical Record Officers (MROs) from IMPACT-supported facilities statewide. Discussions focused on assessing progress, identifying gaps, and strengthening interventions that drive improvements in maternal, newborn, and child health outcomes.
IMPACT Program and Project Manager in Plateau State, Nurse Ndak Kizito Zuhumnan, said the session was designed to evaluate key health indicators and the effectiveness of ongoing interventions.
“We are here to look closely at what is happening with children under five whether they receive timely treatment for fever, whether pregnant women attend antenatal care, and why some still deliver at home,” he said.
Kizito expressed concern over declining antenatal attendance, low hospital delivery rates, and delays in presenting newborns for immunization. He stressed the crucial role of WDCs in community mobilization, awareness campaigns, and health education through churches, mosques, and town hall meetings.
He added that essential supplies including delivery kits, malaria rapid diagnostic kits, antimalarial drugs (ACTs), and IPT3 for malaria prevention in pregnancy are available free of charge in PHCs across Plateau State.
“Our goal is to reduce infant and maternal mortality on the Plateau to the barest minimum. These stakeholders are key to helping us achieve that,” he noted.
Chairman of the WDC in Jos Jarawa PHC, John Ajang Izang, commended the positive transformation of PHC facilities under the IMPACT project.
“We have witnessed remarkable changes from renovated facilities to affordable, high-quality medications and solar-powered infrastructure,” he said.
He also highlighted how the baby packs provided by the governor have encouraged many women to choose PHCs for delivery.
Izang further praised the drug revolving scheme, noting that it guarantees a steady supply of quality drugs without burdening patients with high costs.
In her remarks, Director of Primary Healthcare in Barkin Ladi LGA, Linda Chuwang, described the meeting as timely, especially for facilities awaiting completion of revitalization work.
“Some facilities in my LGA are not yet revitalized. We appreciate the opportunity to raise this so work can be accelerated,” she said.
She emphasized that clean, well-equipped PHCs attract more mothers to antenatal and delivery services, helping reduce maternal deaths.
Chuwang also noted that IMPACT funding has supported the hiring of additional health workers, enabling some facilities to operate round the clock.
Director of Primary Healthcare in Riyom LGA, Helen Damo, highlighted the need to strengthen data reporting systems, stressing that accurate data directly shapes state health indicators.
“WDCs have a huge responsibility. They must sensitize traditional leaders and mobilize communities to improve maternal and child health coverage,” she said.
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for the IMPACT Project in Plateau State, Benjamin Daniel Shankom, explained that WDCs remain the strongest link to grassroots communities.
“We are implementing the project in 207 health facilities across the state,” he said.
“With what they have learned here, WDC members will step up their efforts to mobilize community members to use these facilities and benefit from available services.”
Other participants, including Chief Benaya Obiaboso from Jenta Apata and Choji Nyam from Township PHC, acknowledged the ongoing improvements but appealed for additional staffing to meet rising service demands.
