17th June, 2017
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has given approval for the official launch of Contributory Health Scheme in July, Director General of the State Contributory Health Commission Dr. Ben Nkechika has said.
Nkechika made this known on Saturday during a sensitisation meeting with primary health care centres coordinators organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency, (DSPHCDA).
The meeting was held as part of efforts to actualise the “Primary Health Care Under One Roof” (PHCUOR) programme, alongside reviewing primary health care laws.
He said therefore, appealed to the primary health coordinators to support the commission to register workers.
Also speaking, Board Chairman of DSPHCDA, Dr Richard Kofi, said that the meeting became necessary to put the state at par with its contemporaries in the country as regards effective primary health care service delivery.
He said the PHCUOR policy would make primary health care centers organise for easy information flow and personnel management.
Dr. Kofi noted that the policy was in line with Governor Okowa’s health for all Deltans at all times.
Also speaking, a health specialist with UNICEF, Dr Eghe Abe stressed the need to revitalise the health centres across the state.
“Re-branding of the health centres will attract more patronage especially from rural dwellers. Ebola virus was effectively combated through primary centres,’’ he said.
He said that the UNICEF was desirous of collaborating with the state, local government as well as agencies in providing qualitative healthcare services to the people.
Also, the state Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of the Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Gloria Patrick- Ferife, said the PHUOR campaign was geared towards international practices based on the WHO guidelines stringed under one management, one plan, and one monitoring and evaluation system.
She said the target was to reform and strengthen the state health sector by creating an integrated and decentralised management structure for primary health centres in line with state government “SMART’’ agenda.
While advocating for reorientation of staff, sustainable funding, a governing board and repositioning of staff and logistics, Ferife said functional primary health centres would dissuade people from going to hospitals for treatment of minor ailments.