Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC) an NGO with the support of the MacArthur Foundation has held a Town Hall Meeting to Amplify the Fight against Corruption.
The Town Hall Meeting and Campaign which is hinged on Local Languages with a theme: “The Menace of Quack Health Practitioners in Enugu State: Need for Effective Sector Governance” is held on 7th September 2024 at Best Western Plus Hotel, J607 Nza Street, Independent Layout, Enugu, Enugu State.
Participants at the Town Hall meeting were, Honourable Commissioner of Health, Enugu State Ministry of Health, the Medical and Health Practitioners, Media, Civil Society Organizations, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities Enugu State Chapter, Market Women Association, community-based Organizations, Religious and Community leaders.
Others are anti-corruption agencies including, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
At the end of the Town Hall meeting the following resolutions were made to fast-track the Fight Against Corruption through Community Participation:-
The Town Hall Meeting, decried cases of unethical practices at some health establishments in Enugu state and called for effective governance and provision of facilities to curtail the sharp practices by unqualified health personnel in Enugu State.
Participants recognized that fighting the menace of corruption and the Promotion of Good Governance in the health sector is a collective responsibility of all citizens, and called on the people to demand accountability by shunning unqualified health establishment in Enugu State.
The meeting advocates for a collective effort by citizens, CSOs, Security agencies, and government regulatory agencies to track and curtail the importation of counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.
Participants identified the greed of some health personnel for economic gain to perpetuate unethical practices and called on the Enugu state government to crack down on all unlicensed health clinics, Patent Medical stores, and Health establishments.
The Town Hall Meeting calls for synergy among health professionals, government agencies, and the general public to address deficiencies in Clinical, Laboratory and drug administration to address quackery in some health establishments in Enugu State and prevent misdiagnosis of patients and untimely death.
Also, the meeting calls for raising the awareness on the existence of the National Health Insurance Authority Act in order to extend universal health coverage to the local government areas to possibly reduce quackery.
Participants called for the domestication of aspects of the laws governing regulatory bodies in the health sector through acts that would strengthen the capacity of states to deal with quack health personnel and enhance governance in the sector.
CSOs, Religious organizations, and Communities were obliged to monitor and report wrongdoings of health personnel, to the Ministry of Health and by employing the WHISTLEBLOWING mechanism of Enugu State Government, and anti-corruption agencies (EFCC and ICPC) and security agencies for appropriate action.
The meeting commends the Enugu State Ministry of Health and government efforts to ameliorate inadequacies of personnel and tools of trade in the health sector and urges the government to have an effective mechanism through legislation to fight the menace of quackery in the health sector.
The Town Hall meeting commends Dream FM Radio, Wadata Media and Advocacy Centre (WAMAC), and McArthur Foundation for their efforts in the fight against corruption and promoting Good Governance.
This communique was made this day 7th September 2024 at Enugu, Enugu State.
