Health experts in Osun State have asked the Federal Government to ensure that more funds are allocated to the Primary Health Care sector for optimal performance.
The head of Primary Health Care Department, in Egbodore Local Council Development Authority, Adigun Sherifat, told Channels Television in Osogbo that that the Primary Health Care Centres (PHCC) being the closest to the people required adequate attention and concentration if it was to function for the purpose for which it was established.
Condemning the deplorable state of most of the Primary Health Care Centres across Nigeria, Mrs Adigun said the 2017 budget should be used to cater for the non-availability of drugs in Most PHCC.
A Great Shame
According to her, there is also the need to strengthen the staff by having qualified staff to man the centres and establish partnerships with donor agencies to supply required drugs for ailments. this will go a long way in revamping this sector, she says.
“As regards the health sector, most importantly, the Primary Health Care sector where I work, it is the closest to the society. So, I believe it requires very serious and urgent attention as the Federal Government begins to implement the 2017 budget.
“At the Primary Health Care level, we are more of preventive than curative and according to the saying prevention is better than cure. So, we need help to give the necessary preventive measures to children, pregnant mothers and all residents within this vicinity. Basically the Primary Health Care has to be strengthened with enough qualified staff, nurses, community health workers that can work well with the necessary drugs to treat minor ailments. I believe the PHCC will function well.
“Also all the partners in terms of HIV and malaria and other donor partners also need to be allowed to support the primary health care centres in the country and immunisations service also should be given a boost. It greatly helps to prevent the children from communicable diseases and it must be strengthened too.
“Then I also believe that the staff need adequate training and be equipped to meet the world global medical standard. Besides all of these, many of the Primary Health Care Centres are in very deplorable condition. The Federal Government should see it as a task to make the PHCC a homely place for patients and make it look habitable so patients who come here will be treated well in a decent environment,” she said.
A resident of Egbodore, Mr Ajayi Ige, who spoke to Channels Television said it was a great shame on the part of the Federal Government if it could not repair Primary Health Care Centres in the nation.
“We do not have drugs and many of our women who come to give birth here have to do so with their lanterns because there is no electricity generator. If the light is out, we make use of lantern.
“The Federal Government should come to our aid and help us, health is wealth,” he stressed.
He told Channels Television that all they were appealing for was for the government to focus on the health sector and invest more in it so that people will live healthy lives.
