Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, on Wednesday, inaugurated a committee on Primary Health Care (PHC) remodelling, tasking its members to facilitate the proper functioning of PHCs in the state.
This was at Edo State Government House in Benin City where Governor Obaseki noted that the current state of PHCs in the state was not ideal and the system needed to be overhauled.
While the governor stressed that the remodelling initiative was aimed at ensuring that at least one standardised PHC was established in each of the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, he added that it would also help reduce the burden on secondary and tertiary health centres, as well as the cost patients spent to access health services.
The governor therefore urged the committee to assess the current facilities of PHCs including cold stores, identify the challenges confronting the centres, as well as come up with implementable plans for solving these challenges.
Furthermore, he explained that directing efforts towards Primary health care was an efficient way to spend Health care budget, adding that it would reduce maternal and infant mortality rate, and generally improve health care delivery system in the State.
He appreciated the members of the committee and implored them to complete the stated objectives within a span of 6 weeks, while Prof Mrs Obehi Okojie, leading the committee, revealed that the Health indices in the country were appalling, and strengthening of the PHCs would help Nigeria solve 70% of its health problems.
She, however, thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve, saying that the committee would live up to its responsibility and carry out systematic reviews of existing health data in order to revivify PHC in the state.
