Healthcare Delivery To Receive A Boost In Rural Areas

ByFlorence Adewale

Healthcare delivery in rural areas will soon receive a boost.

This is because the Federal Government through the Basic Healthcare Funds is planning to increase facilities in Primary Heath Care Centers from eight thousand to seventeen thousand.

The Cordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Professor, Ali Pate made this known in Abuja at the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Healthcare Delivery Fourth Quarter Review Meeting.

According to the minister, expansion of the functionality of primary healthcare centres in the next four years became necessary as it is the main avenue through which people access care and to further boost the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Professor Pate explained that the federal government will continue to leverage on collaboration with traditional rulers to drive home government policies that would improve the healthcare of citizens and win the war against diseases as the success recorded in the fight against polio.

Also speaking, the Executive Director National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina said the agency would not relent in efforts to ensure availability of vaccines and other valuables to improve healthcare delivery especially for maternal and new born as well as expanding the Human Papilloma Virus vaccines to all states of the Federation.

According to Dr. Aina “Providing these services in PHCs and through outreaches is not enough, so we will be working with you all to identify and remove any barriers within our communities that limit our people’s ability or willingness to access the services. We will be looking to you for guidance as we engage the citizenry through PHC satisfaction and peoples’ voice surveys to learn about main points, and to better drive demand for PHC services”.

“The states have a crucial role to play, and I have already hosted delegations of the Forum of Executive Secretaries/ Chairmen of State Primary Health Care Development Agencies / Boards and met with several Commissioners for Health to brainstorm on ways to strengthen collaboration for access to quality PHC services at State and community levels”.

“I am therefore looking forward to strong collaboration with State-level primary healthcare institutions, providers and colleagues”.

Earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa-ad Abubakar said the traditional rulers are always willing to educate their people to bridge the gap in ensuring sustainability of eradicating diseases as done in the success story of wild polio virus.

Stakeholders at the forum are expected to brainstorm and suggest more ways to ensure improved healthcare services especially in rural communities.

Edited By Grace Namiji