_Nosakhare Agbonigiarhuoyi_
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday, received delegates from John Snow Incorporated (JSI), led by its Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Margaret Crotty, at the State Government House, in Benin city.
Appreciating the organization for its support to the state’s healthcare system, particularly primary healthcare, Obaseki advocated a data and tech-based capacity building for healthcare workers, and a decentralized healthcare system in the country.
According to the Governor, “For us in Edo, we see you as a natural ally and partner. We always knew that we have had this issue with healthcare, and the biggest problem with healthcare here, is the thinking. The healthcare system which we inherited from colonial times; we haven’t really deviated much from it. It is one that has been centralized.
“The biggest bane and challenge we have is the federal government, where they come up with one-design-fits-all; and they think it is all about money. Yes, money is important and critical but it is beyond money; because what we have found in Edo today is that, what we need the most is the training; the capacity building of people who will deliver care at every level.”
“If you don’t build the capacity of the people who are going to manage these specific institutions, then why spend all that money. The training must emphasize and lean heavily on technology and data”, Obaseki added.
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer, John Snow Incorporated (JSI), Ms. Margaret Crotty, expressed gratitude to the Governor for his partnership, leadership and accomplishment in public health.
She said: “The purpose of my visit actually is to deport my team here, who are establishing a new structure to make sure that the agenda of the public health work that you do here, is really set in Nigeria and in the state where we work.
“We are here to share the technical expertise that we have with you. We will be organizing JSI as well, to make sure that our technical experts are working together with each other efficiently and most productively as possible. Your visionary leadership has really been a gift to JSI and the way that we work.”
John Snow Incorporated is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lives around the world through greater health, education, and socioeconomic equity for individuals and communities.
