…As communities expresses fear after fold up

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

The Action Health Incorporated (AHI), which is a non-profit organization in collaboration with Care Best Initiative (CBI) will on 18th April 2025 close its intervention projects hitherto implemented in Bama and Dikwa- local government areas of Borno state, with at thousands of vulnerable people that have been directly impacted in the area of health, nutrition, safe delivery, hygiene among others.

Initially, the project which is for a period of six months, started on 18th October, 2024 with about 29,926 targeted as direct beneficiaries (facility and mobile medical services), however, a total of 41,266 beneficiaries were also reached through direct services, including 16,979 women, 6,106 men, 7,586 boys and 10,592 girls.

This was disclosed on Monday by the AHI Executive Director, Mrs Adenike Esiet during the End of Project Review meeting with stakeholders held at the Dujima International Hotel, Maiduguri, the state capital.

This is as beneficiaries in the affected communities expressed fear over the closure of the Action Health Incorporated project, saying there would be consequences for the vulnerable groups.

Recall that Both Bama and Dikwa were hitherto declared Boko Haram territories before it was liberated by troops few year ago.

Mrs Esiet in an interview with Journalists said, the primary objective of the project was to mitigate the mortality and morbidity risks associated with lean season and deliver health and nutritional assistance to conflict affected communities.

She said “the project has provided over 32,500 lifesaving services to vulnerable population in 29 communities over the period under review, adding that, 18 communities in Bama and 11 in Dikwa respectively.

” AHI in collaboration with CBI conducted 792 skilled birth attendances that ensured safe deliveries and reduced maternal risks, while 3,458 women were sensitized and referred to Anti Natal Care  and Post Natal Care (ANC/PNC)”.

She however allayed fear of the participants that the project exit will leave many families with an increase risk of malnutrition, mortality and morbidity among children and pregnant women.

“We know that resource accessing is dwindling all over the world, especially with the changes that are happening, but we do know that other resources will come, we only need to look out and say what are the resources we didn’t prioritize? The help that we can get from other sources beyond what Nigerian Humanitarian Fund (NHF) was able to provide”

On some challenges faced, she said, was people not going into the facilities and reaching out for services, but in the course of project implementation , AHI changed that with sensitization and mobilization of people in the community.

For the issues around security, she noted that AHI worked with the security reports from the concerned security agencies in going out and they were very pleased that they did not have any incident in these six months as the community have also provided cover.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager of CBI, Mr. Thomas Umazayi, said, it was a great opportunity to work with AHI, the NHF, Primary Health Care Board, Ministry of Health, traditional/ religious leaders and other stakeholders for reviving children with acute malnutrition and other vulnerable people who are in dire need of health assistance.

Meanwhile, the Secretary Bama Emirate Council, Makinta Usman Ali, regretted that the folding up of the project will not auger well to the vulnerable communities due to devastating effect of the over decade insurgency

He noted that the communities needed these AHI’s lifesaving services the most, and promised to take up the matter to the Shehu of Bama for quick intervention.

“Before the coming of AHI, most of our women  don’t like antenatal care, but with the implementation of the program and the services being offered, women started going to the facilities, and the mortality rate reduced drastically” he said.

Also, the Director Primary Healthcare in Bama, Abubakar Fantami, said the project has been providing skilled assistance during labor and delivery, post natal care, which go a long way in raising the bar of safe and healthy delivery.

“We are calling for extension of the project to continue with your life -saving program to meet the urgent needs of women and girls in our communities,” he said.

Fantami noted that a gap in those services would exacerbate the already dire situation of malnutrition, healthcare, and other services for IDPs and other vulnerable population in the area.

Also in her response, a Leader of Women With Disabilities (WWDs), Yagana Bulama commended AHI for all the interventions which she noted have transformed their lives to live healthier in the society, even as she called upon government and other philanthropic organizations like AHI, CBI among others to complement the success stories as the project will soon fold up.