Stakeholders disclosed this during a media briefing on the Global Fund GC7 I-CLM Project, where they highlighted the impact of community-led oversight in strengthening health service delivery across participating communities in the state.
The project, implemented through the AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) Networks, places communities and civil society organisations at the centre of healthcare monitoring, enabling local residents to identify service gaps, prioritize needs, and advocate solutions to challenges affecting healthcare delivery.
Speaking at the briefing, the State Coordinator of the TB Network in Rivers State, Fyneface Muzan, said the initiative has become a critical tool in addressing barriers to healthcare access, particularly among vulnerable populations.
According to him, community monitors have helped identify issues such as discrimination against patients, poor infrastructure, shortages of essential drugs, and inadequate healthcare services, leading to interventions that improve patient outcomes.
Muzan noted that despite efforts to combat the three diseases, Nigeria continues to face a significant burden.
“Nigeria ranks first in Africa and sixth globally among countries with a high burden of Tuberculosis and TB/HIV co-infection. The country also has the highest malaria burden in the world and the second-largest HIV/AIDS burden globally,” he said.
He explained that co-infection of HIV, TB and malaria often worsens disease outcomes and increases the risk of transmission.
The TB Network coordinator also highlighted the economic barriers faced by patients, noting that high out-of-pocket healthcare expenses contribute to malaria-related deaths among children under five, while many tuberculosis patients struggle to access treatment despite medications being free.
“Some patients travel more than 30 kilometres to access TB treatment. Although the drugs are free, transportation and other associated costs make treatment difficult for many people,” he said.
Muzan stressed that HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria disproportionately affect poor and vulnerable populations, calling for broader efforts to address the socioeconomic inequalities that drive infections.
Also speaking, the State Programme Manager of the Rivers State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (RIVSACA), Dr. Naaziga Francis, described community-led monitoring as a transformative intervention that has strengthened trust between healthcare providers and communities.
He said the programme has increased awareness about the availability of HIV, TB and malaria services in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), encouraging more people to seek treatment and support.
“Community-led monitoring has produced tangible results. It has improved the relationship between healthcare providers and community members and created awareness that treatment services are available at nearby Primary Healthcare Centers,” Francis said.
He added that the program has also reinforced the responsibility of healthcare workers to provide stigma-free services while exposing operational challenges such as shortages of protective equipment, inadequate waiting areas and insufficient staffing.
According to him, these concerns have been documented and forwarded to the Rivers State Ministry of Health for necessary action.
Program Officer of the TB Network in Rivers State, Hope Pius, said the project has recorded several achievements, including improved access to quality healthcare services in designated Primary Healthcare Centers, strengthened HIV and TB interventions, anti-stigma campaigns, advocacy against sexual and gender-based violence, and increased enrollment in health insurance schemes.
Pius called on government agencies, development partners and civil society organizations to support the expansion of community-led monitoring initiatives to all local government areas of Rivers State.
He also advocated broader access to national and state health insurance schemes for vulnerable citizens, transparent funding of Primary Healthcare Centers and increased health education at the ward level.
Participants at the briefing urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Finance to urgently release funds for the procurement of tuberculosis drugs to prevent shortages that could lead to multidrug-resistant TB.
They further called for greater domestic investment in healthcare, improved funding for primary healthcare facilities and stronger community-based health education programs.
The stakeholders concluded that expanding evidence-based and people-centred initiatives such as the Integrated Community-Led Monitoring Project, backed by adequate funding and political commitment, remains essential to strengthening Nigeria’s health system and accelerating efforts to eliminate HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
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