Posted on: Sat 26-09-2020

The Federal government is working with the state governments to overhaul secondary healthcare institutions in the country in order to ensure better value chain in the health sector. The government is also redesigning the primary healthcare centres and equipping them with professionals that are well trained and can multi-task to deliver a range of services.

Under the new design, all primary healthcare centres across the country will have solar powered lights, access to ambulances for transferring patients from their homes to the medical centre and from a medical centre to a general hospital, water and staff quarters to enable health workers to provide services round the clock.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this at the award ceremony by the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) branch, to recognise some Nigerians who played key roles that led to Nigeria’s attainment of the Wild Polio Virus free status.

Ehanire said the government has decided to rebuild the health sector, noting that the outbreak of COVID-19 drew attention to the defects in the country’s health systems.

“Funding is very important but we also need to use resources we get judiciously. We will sustain and expand routine immunisation and basic healthcare services. We are working on restructuring the primary healthcare sector,” he added.

Also speaking, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, disclosed that the Minister of Health has approved the disbursement of the Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund (BHCPF) to states.

He said: “We have learnt so much from the almost three decades of trying to eradicate one disease. This is what we are going to plug into the health system strengthening priorities we have. Working with the executive, the National Assembly has made the Basic Healthcare Provisions Fund a reality.”

Shuaib, who was honoured with the Guardian of the Nigerian Child Award, appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the health of Nigerians.

He also commended the work of the National Assembly, particularly the committees on Health and Primary Healthcare and the Ministry of Health for ensuring the polio certification of the country.

Earlier, Chairman of the union, Kingsley Gaiya, said the journey to Nigeria’s polio free status was a long sustained battle by all stakeholders.

Chairman of the occasion and Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, said the field workers who went round to immunise children against the disease deserve great commendations for their efforts. He noted that the polio eradication achievement has proved that if Nigerians work together, they could move mountains.

Source: Guardian

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