The Imo state Government says the new federal government policy of ‘primary health care under one roof’ will no doubt improve accessibility and enhance better delivery of quality health care to people living in the rural areas.
This was disclosed in Owerri, the Imo state capital during a two-day orientation workshop organized for the newly inaugurated board of the Imo state Primary Health Care Development Agency by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the John Hopkins International Vaccine Access Centre.
The objectives of the workshop among other things, is basically to orientate the new technical team on steps towards full implementation of the new policy as well as to adequately sensitize the Imo state PHCDA board and technical team.
The state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Mrs Ngozi Njoku, explained that the policy would give room for better supervision, accountability and better funding.
In her words “If there is anything that bothers the present administration in Imo state, it is that of giving quality healthcare delivery to the people, especially those at the rural areas who are trying to access healthcare in their various localities.
She went on to say that “with this orientation workshop, every participant will know his or her role towards giving this quality healthcare to the people and strengthen the primary healthcare delivery in the state, definitely the benefits of the workshop abounds”, Njoku said.
Shedding more light on the importance of the new policy, the Executive Secretary of the Imo state PHCDA, Emmanuel Emuka, said the new policy would correct all the wrongs and issues associated with primary health care delivery system in the state.
He added that the state government under this new policy would ensure proper coordination of activities in the primary health care sector.
Furthermore, he added that “before now, there were several ministries involved in the issue of primary healthcare in the state, such as the Ministry of Health, local governments, and local government service commission.
“There was no coordinated approach to supervise activities, so there were levels of decay, inefficiency, dilapidation and poor linkage between the community and the facilities to render service.
According to him, “this is why this revitalization and orientation is necessary to reposition the primary health care system in the state.” Emuka said.