The IntegratE Impact: Moses Omachi’s Dedication to Grassroots Healthcare Empowerment
By Christine Abelagi, Jane Egbuchiem
In the quiet community of Katengere, Billiri LGA, Gombe State, Moses Omachi is more than just a businessman. He is a dedicated healthcare advocate and a trusted provider, significantly influencing the health and well-being of his community. Mr. Omachi, a trained Tier 2 Patent & Proprietary Medicine Vendor (PPMV) owns City PMS, located along Katengere, near Tashan Gona, Billiri LGA. His journey from a small-scale patent medicine vendor to a valuable contributor in grassroots healthcare has been remarkable—a dynamic change made possible by his engagement with the IntegratE Project.
During a recent field visit to Billiri LGA for quality supportive supervision of trained providers, Moses shared a compelling testimony on the transformative impact the IntegratE Project has had on his practice and his sense of professional fulfilment. He detailed that before the IntegratE Project, he provided basic health services to his community but was constrained by limited knowledge and resources, particularly in family planning and primary healthcare. However, he knew the importance of offering quality healthcare services but lacked the capacity and training to fully meet his community’s growing healthcare needs. This changed upon his encounter with the IntegratE Project.
The IntegratE Project, designed to enhance healthcare delivery at the grassroots level, provided Mr. Omachi with the relevant tools, training, and support needed to expand his skill set and deepen his impact. He participated in extensive training in family planning and primary healthcare with a focus on integrated community case management (ICCM), which built his confidence and equipped him with the knowledge necessary to provide quality care.
Today, Moses is no longer just a provider; he is an essential link between his community and formal healthcare institutions. With great excitement, he said, “doctors and nurses from nearby primary healthcare centres regularly consult with me and seek my advice on family planning methods”- this is a pointer to the respect he has earned as a skilled and reliable healthcare provider and a responsibility he shoulders with immense dedication. He attributes his elevated status to the extensive training and support provided by the IntegratE Project, which has empowered him to deliver quality family planning and primary healthcare services.
One of the key aspects of his success has been the outreach activities conducted at his shop twice by the project. These outreach efforts have expanded his knowledge and increased his clientele, enabling him to serve the community more effectively. Community members now trust him not only for basic medication but for reliable and experienced guidance on family planning and other health services. The outreach sessions have also contributed to raising awareness in the community about the importance of family planning, leading to an evident increase in service uptake.
Moses Omachi’s confidence in his work is striking! He is deeply committed to his community and profoundly grateful for the unwavering support he has received from the IntegratE Project. The training and consistent supportive supervision by the project state teams have empowered him to step up as a leader in grassroots healthcare, ensuring that people in his community have access to the health services they need.
Mr. Omachi’s experience highlights the far-reaching impact of the IntegratE Project in strengthening the capacities of patent medicine vendors and enhancing the delivery of primary healthcare services at the grassroots level. His inspiring story serves as a powerful testament to the positive ripple effect that targeted training, outreach initiatives, and continuous support can have on healthcare providers and the communities they serve.