In times past, the public health sector in Edo State was associated with poor service delivery and was very unreliable.
One could not depend on the public health system in times of ill health for survival and full recovery.
When one was not financially stable, chances were that one couldn’t access quality health care. Even a minor case of dislocation could become really serious due to lack of funds.
The resort to traditional medicine did not help the situation much. In some cases traditional medicine caused more harm than good. But today, the narrative is changing with the Edo Health Insurance Scheme (EDOHIS).
EDOHIS is setting the stage for a new era in which the pains and sorrows of yesteryear would be gone for good.
At the 3-day health sector retreat organized by the Edo State Government recently, with the theme: “Transforming the Health Ecosystem in Edo State to Achieve Resilience and Quality Healthcare,” and organized by the Edo State Government through the office of Special Adviser to the Governor on Strategy, Policy, Projects, and Performance Management, Mrs. Sarah Ajose-Adeogun, guests were given insights on the action plans and strategies for implementation of the state government’s short and medium term goals in the health sector (primary and secondary healthcare, health financing and health education institutions) and how to push the changes and implement the goals.
The event was attended by top government officials in the state’s health and allied sectors, private health practitioners, the Senator representing Edo South Senatorial District, Pharmacist Matthew Urhoghide, Head of the Edo State Civil Service, Mr. Anthony Okungbowa, amongst others.
Speaking at the retreat, the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, said the health sector is a major area of his vision for the state.
He said that the Covid Pandemic further strengthened his resolve to build a sustainable health care system for Edo people and residents.
According to the Governor, “The health care system needs to be ready as one does not know the next time the pandemic would hit.”
He maintained that it was critical to fix the local health care system instead of flying abroad or leaving the challenges in the sector for the younger generation, as leaders are supposed to build a sustainable healthcare system for them.
The governor also spoke on the need for healthcare services to be regulated, particularly in terms of quality. In his words: “It’s not about any individual but the system.”
He stressed that healthcare is so important that there is a need to raise the needed funds to reposition it. He further said that there was the need for transparency in the health care system.
“Any system that lacks transparency is not healthy. Edo people’s lives are precious and therefore they deserve quality service” Obaseki said.
The governor emphasized the need for a strong primary healthcare structure supported by modern technology.
According to him, “Centralized healthcare is now old-fashioned and there is a need to decentralize the health care system in Edo State.”
He added that health personnel are valuable to the state and urged that it was pertinent for them to stay back home and further strengthen the health care system.
Also speaking at the event, the commissioner for health, Prof. Obehi Akoria, reiterated the governor’s commitment to improving the health care sector.
She explained that there was clarity as to the direction the state government is headed in providing quality healthcare for the people.
According to her, there is a new order where the specialist hospital becomes specialist indeed. She added that there were over 500 PHC (Primary Health Care) centers in Edo State scheduled for upgrade, beginning with 192 centers to provide quality healthcare for the people, while in time to come; there would be proper referral from secondary to tertiary level of care.
Also speaking, the Country Representative of PharmAccess Foundation, Njide Ndili, noted that there was the need to work on the existing healthcare system, improve local resources while not totally diminishing its essence.
She spoke of its success in states like Delta, Kwara and Lagos where they have been able to experiment with the health system.
She expressed hope that Edo State would be specific on what it hopes to achieve and bring it into its health sector, adding that the demand to strengthen its health insurance scheme through innovation to increase enrolment was a viable goal.
Senator Uroghide commended the Governor for the initiative and said that the retreat was a strong indication that the governor was passionate about the health of Edo people and residents.
By
Eghosa Emily, Benin City
