By Edokpayi Adesuwa
Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole has emphasized the crucial role of Primary Healthcare as the foundation of a strong and sustainable health system.
Dr. Oshiomhole made this assertion during the flag off ceremony of a three-day State digitization training on the District Health Information System (DHIS) of the National Health Management Information System at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy in Benin City, while describing the event as a milestone in the collective effort between the Ministry and the State Government in the revitalization of the Health Care sector, with a focus on addressing the technology and data management challenges that hinder effective healthcare delivery, particularly for women and children under the age of five.
He explained that Primary Healthcare is the bedrock of any sustainable health system, being the first point of contact for individuals, families, and communities, with a critical role in ensuring that everyone, especially the most vulnerable, has access to essential healthcare services.
The Commissioner further expressed dismay at the fact that women and children under age five still remained affected by preventable diseases, malnutrition and limited access to quality healthcare services, despite all the progress made so far in the health care system, adding that digitalization was crucial in data collection as a way of guiding decision making, allocation of resources and the measurement of progress.
Dr. Oshiomhole further explained that the digitalization of the National Health Management Information System would play a critical role in the tracking, analyzing and the improvement of health service delivery in the State and in turn reduce inefficiencies caused by the analogue method of doing things.
“By leveraging technology to improve data management, we are taking a bold step toward reducing maternal and child mortality, increasing immunization coverage, and improving access to essential health services”. He added.
Meanwhile, the Project Manager of Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT), Dr. Idemudia Osayomore, stressed the importance of digitalization in improving healthcare services, assuring participants of the State Government’s commitment towards supporting the digitization of Primary Healthcare facilities to improve data collection and accuracy.
Highpoint of the event was the commissioning of the DHIS digitization initiative by the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo who was represented by the Edo State Chief of Staff, Hon. Gani Audu, the distribution of Laptops and iPads to various Local Government Areas and the handing over of two vehicles to the IMPACT Project to facilitate its operations.
