Easter Message: ACHPN Boss Calls for Prayers, Support for the Needy, and Stronger Health Systems

The President of the Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (ACHPN), Comrade Kabir Yahaya Ahmed, has felicitated with Christians on the occasion of this year’s Easter celebration.

In his Easter message delivered in Abuja, Comrade Kabir Ahmed urged Christians to imbibe the lessons of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in all their endeavours.
He also emphasized the importance of using the occasion to pray for Nigeria to overcome its security and economic challenges.
Expressing concern over the difficulties faced by the less privileged, Comrade Kabir Ahmed called on wealthy Christians to use the Easter period to put smiles on the faces of the needy, giving them a sense of belonging during and after the celebrations.
Speaking on the forthcoming ACHPN election, Comrade Kabir Yahaya Ahmed stated that the Association requires continuous and effective leadership in community health practice, driven by vision, integrity, and a deep understanding of the health needs of communities across the country. He therefore appealed to members to grant him a second term to consolidate on the achievements recorded during his first tenure.
According to him, he has consistently demonstrated these qualities through his service and commitment to strengthening the professional development and recognition of community health practitioners under the Association.
“My leadership has so far reflected the core values of:
• Professional excellence
• Community-centered health service
• Unity among practitioners
• Advocacy for stronger Primary Health Care systems
For sustained progress, institutional stability, and continued advancement of the community health profession,” he said.
He therefore solicited the support of ACHPN members for another mandate to enable him take the Association to greater heights.
Comrade Kabir Ahmed also called for the overhaul of the nation’s primary healthcare system to enhance the wellbeing of Nigerians nationwide.
He emphasized the need for increased recruitment of community health practitioners this year to address the workforce shortage in primary healthcare centres across the country.
While expressing concern over the welfare of community health practitioners, particularly those posted to rural areas, he called for improved remuneration and better welfare packages to boost productivity and enhance effective healthcare delivery.
He further advocated the upgrade of primary healthcare centres through the provision of essential amenities such as electricity, consumables, and water supply, among others required for efficient service delivery.
Identifying healthcare delivery as crucial to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the ACHPN President urged government at all levels to increase budgetary allocation to the health sector in order to tackle child and maternal mortality.
Comrade Kabir Yahaya Ahmed also appealed to some State Commissioners who deny community health practitioners the opportunity to practice in state facilities to reconsider their stance, noting that such actions undermine efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage.
He reaffirmed that the Association will continue to complement government efforts in repositioning the nation’s primary healthcare sector.