Introduction
According to Azuonwu (2012) stated that the role of advocacy in primary health care cannot be over-emphasized. Because advocacy is the body or a group organize by the government to improve and implement policies that will help the public to know the problem of their health and how it can be manage.
Advocacy can be defined as a body that implement relevant health promotion activity for overcoming major barrier to public health and occupation health charter on health issue. The barriers addressed by advocacy are poor living and working condition rather than individual or behavioural barriers. The modern use of the term advocacy gained momentum from the health promotion which include political, economic, socio-cultural, behavioural and biological factors can all favour health or be harmful to good health.
Definition of terms
According to Marrian Webster (2007) defined advocacy as an action of advocating, pleading for, or supporting a cause of proposal. According to W.H.O.(2006) advocacy is the effort to change policy and practice at the local, national or international level to change the situation for groups of individuals who share similar problems.
- Advocacy: Is an activity by an individuals or group which aims to influence decisions within political, economic, system an institution.
- Health advocacy: This is the body that support an promotes patient health care right as well as entrance community health and policies initiatives that focus on the availability, safety and quality of care.
- Primary health care (PHC): According to the alma ata declaration is the essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable method and technology made universally accessible to individuals and families in the community through their full participation and at a cost that the community and country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development in the spirit of self reliance and self determination (Ajekuko, 2015).
Importance of advocacy in P.H.C.
Akinsola (2012) stated that the following are the importance of advocacy:
- To handle and coordinate all matters relating to resource mobilization for the development and revitalization of P.H.C system
- To maintain a data base and liaise with relevant stakeholders for the mobilization of research for the agency.
- To undertake resource mobilization in accordance with extant rules and regulations.
- To collaborate and harmonize with identical bodies in the state and local government areas
- To document and disclose all resources generated to relevant authorities
- To make sure that all units under this division work in harmony and as an entity
- To liaise with communications division in publicizing its activities (WHO, 2006).
Role of advocacy in P.H.C.
Ebun (2006) identified the role of advocacy as:
- To identify and classify stakeholders and advocacy for their support of P.H.C policies, programs and services.
- To liaise with departments and division in the agency to obtain relevant information or support in mobilization and activities.
- To develop a national media awareness campaign with the major media players(radio, press etc.)
- To establish a consultative mechanism for the development, field test and publication of appropriate ice materials in consultation with partners and the federal ministry of Health(FMOH)
- According to WHO (2006), to provide support to state, LGA and private providers with ice materials
- To develop and manage appropriate social communication campaigns to publicize primary Health care activities
- Provide training for state, L.G.A and private providers on P.H.C and enhances effective communication.
- To publish bi-annual agency newsletters.
Aims and objectives of advocacy in P.H.C.
Genson (2010) stated that the aims/objectives of advocacy are:
- To ensure that all necessary health facilities is provided for the public
- To promote the health of individual living in the society
- To ensure effectiveness of primary health care in the public
- To promote individual health in the society and to enhance related issue
- To enhance the effectiveness of policies made by P.H.C
- To prevent the public from disease and other health problem
- To support other health organization for effective health promotion
- To promote health standard of individual in the community
- Its helps to increase community (people)knowledge about the factors responsible for health problems (Kings & Burgress, 2008).
- Its helps to develop positive attitude toward health matters such as community mobilization and participation.
- Its brings about a change of behaviour in health matters
- Its help in promotion of health and prolonging life in the community
- It is to make health service accessible and available to everyone wherever they live and work
- To ensure community participation thereby leaching to self reliance
- To tackle the health problems causing the highest mortality and morbidity at affordable cost to the community
Principle of advocacy in P.H.C.
- Encourage involvement of potential opponent as well as allies (Mumbor, 2007).
- You must work in accordance with the principle implementation in P.H.C
- All health organisation should enforce law that will help the public to live in good.
- According to Oluwande (2011) public health advocacy must create community change to improve health
- Advocacy must embedded in area of promotion and prevention services
- Advocacy must ensure to make us of the following factors such as accessibility, acceptability and affordability.
Conclusion
Advocacy helps to increase community knowledge about the factor responsible for the health problem and also tackle (solution)of the health problem causing the highest mortality and mobility rate of affordable cost to the community, it also work with rules and regulation with health organization to create effective health programme to achieve the important of Advocacy in primary health care, and ensure that the adequate technology can be use and put in practice.
Recommendations
- They should provide adequate facilities for health programmes
- They should also make an enforce to reach all the health sector for effective health programs in the rural areas
- They should also provide adequate manpower for the effectiveness of P.H.C. administration
- To create awareness programme concerning disease control and management
- They should meet the government and NGOs to create adequate P.H.C. campaign on all the deadly disease
References
Ajekuko, O. (2015). Primary Health care(Lecture note).Ofuoma-Ughelli Environmental Health Department, Delta State College of Health.
Akinsolo, H. A. (2008). A to Z of community health and social medicine in medical and nursing practice. Ibadan: 3, AM communication press.
Azuonwu, G (2012). Introduction to basic issues in public health. Ibadan: Evi – Coleman publications
Ebun, E. O. (2006). Nigerian primary health care, the challenge of implementation. First U.M Lagos: press
Gemson, G. S. (2010) Question and answer on primary health care with objective and clinical skill. Taraba State: Living stone educational publishing enterprise
Kings, F. S. & Burgess, A. (2009). Nutrition for developing countries. London: Oxford University press
Mumbor, M. I. (2007). Primary health care for school/college of health technology Ofuoma
Oluwande, P. A. (2011). A guide to tropical environmental health engineering. Ibadan: NISER
Marian Webster, (2007). A western public health advocate. New York: Hand book
WHO, (2006). Primary health care advocacy programmes. Lagos: Handbook.
