CHIPS: Connecting Communities to Primary Health Care Facilities in Nasarawa State
Twice a month, Mary Jacob, a Community Engagement Focal Person (CEFP), conducts supportive supervision of 35-year-old Afinnaki Ibrahim, a Community Health Influencer, Promoter, and Services (CHIPS) agent in Kafin Shanu ward in Karu Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State. Jacob monitors the agent’s engagement with pregnant women and children under five, resolves non-compliance issues, and ensures quality community data capture. She is one of the 116 CEFPs and 116 community health extension workers (CHEWs), supervising and supporting 580 CHIPS agents in 52 selected wards across all 13 local government areas (LGAs) in Nasarawa State. The 52 host communities were selected based on their maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) indicators , accessibility, state of Primary Health Centre functionality, and ward development committee (WDC) willingness to foster grassroots support and participation, said Dr Madawa Absolum, Director of Community and Family Health Servic...