Umundugba, Isu LGA, Imo State | 10 September 2026
Youth Awake for Better Society (YABS), through its Imo State Advocacy Team, paid an advocacy visit to the Imo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ISPHCDA) Primary Health Care Centre, Umundugba, Isu Local Government Area, Imo State, on 10 September 2026.
The visit was part of ongoing advocacy activities under the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) project implemented by the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), in collaboration with YABS and other community-based organisations in Imo State. The CLM approach provides a structured platform through which communities and service users can identify challenges affecting access to and quality of health services, document these experiences, and engage health facilities and relevant stakeholders to promote appropriate action and improved service delivery.
The YABS Advocacy Team was received by Mrs. Ezike Basilia, Director/HOD of the Primary Health Centre, who engaged with the team on issues relating to healthcare service delivery and the importance of strengthening collaboration between health facilities and the communities they serve.
During the engagement, YABS introduced the objectives and activities of the Community-Led Monitoring project and explained how information generated through community monitoring can support constructive dialogue between service users and healthcare providers. The team emphasized that CLM is intended not only to identify challenges but also to facilitate communication, accountability and practical solutions that can contribute to improved health outcomes.
The advocacy team also highlighted the importance of ensuring that community members, including people living with HIV, key populations, young people and other vulnerable groups, can access health services in an environment that promotes dignity, confidentiality, non-discrimination and respect for their rights.
The team encouraged the facility to maintain open channels of communication with community structures and to use feedback from service users as an opportunity to identify gaps and strengthen the quality of services provided.
Remarks from the Facility
Mrs. Ezike Basilia appreciated the advocacy team for visiting the facility and for creating an opportunity for dialogue between the community and healthcare providers.
She acknowledged the importance of community participation in improving primary healthcare services and emphasized that constructive feedback from service users can help health workers and facility management better understand challenges experienced by clients.
Mrs. Ezike further expressed the facility's willingness to engage with relevant community structures and stakeholders in addressing identified service-delivery challenges within the scope of the facility's responsibilities. She noted that collaboration between healthcare providers and community organisations is important for strengthening trust, improving service utilisation and ensuring that clients receive appropriate care.
“Community feedback is important because it helps us understand the experiences of the people who use our services. When communities and health workers work together, we are better able to identify areas that require attention and improve the quality of services provided.”
— Mrs. Ezike Basilia, Director/HOD, ISPHCDA Primary Health Care Centre, Umundugba
Strengthening Accountability Through Community-Led Monitoring
The visit reaffirmed the importance of linking community-generated evidence with facility-level engagement. Through CLM, community members are able to document their experiences with health services, identify recurring barriers and participate in advocacy for improvements.
For YABS, the engagement with the Umundugba Primary Health Care Centre represents an important step in strengthening the relationship between communities and health facilities and ensuring that community voices contribute to discussions around health-service quality and accessibility.
YABS remains committed to working with health facilities, community leaders, government institutions and community members to promote responsive, inclusive and accountable health services across Imo State.
The organisation also appreciates Mrs. Ezike Basilia and the management and staff of the ISPHCDA Primary Health Care Centre, Umundugba, for their time, openness and willingness to engage with the advocacy team.
Report By Fredrick Njoku