Anambra State government has intensify efforts towards developing strong primary healthcare system through seeking suggestions, opinion from stakeholders both within and outside the state.
Deputy Governor of Anambra state Dr. Onyekachi Ibezim while speaking at the First Quarter Review Meeting of South East Traditional Rulers’ Committe on Primary Healthcare Delivery, held in Awka recently, urged community leaders to take ownership of the system in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality as well as increase life expectancy of Nigerians.
Ibezim lamented that Nigeria’s health indices were still unacceptably high, and required deliberate efforts to improve them.
“Primary healthcare is a gateway to achieving optimal healthcare for all. If given adequate attention, it will cater to more than 80 per cent of an individual’s health care needs throughout his or her life.
“But It is sad that our primary healthcare system is facing lots of challenges which is contributing to Nigeria’s poor health indices, including high maternal and child mortality, as well as poor life expectancy.
“Our communities and individuals need to take ownership of primary health because the foreign donors and the federal government will not always be here to help us all the time.
“We need to critically look at infrastructure development and human capacity to get it right with our health system,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib represented by the Director, Disease Control and Immunization in the agency said he was delighted over the massive turn out of the South East traditional rulers to the event and said that their participation showed their unwavering commitment to strengthening and improving health care services in the region, as their roles in shaping the healthcare landscape is invaluable.
Dr. Shuaib urged them to encourage their People to embrace Primary Healthcare and revealed that their endorsement of primary healthcare services will elicit trust from their people, even as he made it clear that the agency will continue to work to ensure a reliable, affordable and efficient primary health care services in Nigeria.
The Chairman, South East Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Ambassador Lawrence Agubuzu in his remarks pointed out that they are always concerned about the health of their people and that they will always support programmes and policies by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency geared towards enhancing the health indices of the region, and assured that they will cascade the message of the review meeting down to their various communities for a healthier society.
Also speaking, Dr Walter Mulombo, World Health Organisation Country Representative to Nigeria, said they would continue to work with the government to increase accessibility to newer vaccines for wider protection from vaccine preventable disease.
Mulombo who was represented by Dr Chukwumuanya Igboekwu, Southeast Zonal Coordinator, WHO, urge the traditional rulers to continue to support the delivery of primary health care in their kingdoms.
In an interview, the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Pharmacist Chisom Uchem said that the meeting will help to enhance efficiency in the system, and appealed to the traditional rulers to always support the agency in achieving the desired result.
ANN reports that the meeting which was organized in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, attracted traditional rulers from the five South Eastern states, relevant stakeholders within and outside Anambra, development partners, among others.
