From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.
The Niger state government has reiterated its commitment to the revitalization of Primary Health Care (PHC) hence the needed priority to the health service sector in the state.
The state Health Commissioner, Dr. Mohammed Mustapha Jibril stated this when he received members of a Non-Governmental Organisation, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, HERFON,, in an advocacy visit to his office in Minna.
Dr. Jibril said the state is focusing on strengthening the state primary healthcare development agency to ensure that everyone has access to quality and affordable healthcare services.
Speaking on the state Contributory Health Scheme (CHS) , he said the state was ready to hit the ground running as it has a full team of committed service providers assuring that when operational,most of maternal services would be free
Earlier, HERFON, Secretary, Umar Sands Dada, who led his team on the visit, pleaded with the state to ensure prompt and early release of funds for the takeoff of enrollment and implementation of communication and marketing strategy of the state Contributory Health Insurance Scheme.
The Secretary urged the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, to, as a matter of urgency,inaugurate of the agency, NCHIS,as vital component of rolling out the scheme.
Dada appealed to the government to ensure the complete readiness of the state gateways, MDAs, to roll out the implementation of basic healthcare provision funds.
He called for the safeguard and the timely release of and implementation of at least 50 percent of 2019 health budget before the second half of the year.
According to him, government should promote mechanisms for accountability and transparency in the state health sector through an enhanced participation and engagement with non state actors,especially, CSOs and Ward Development Development Committees, WDCs.
The HERFON scribe pleaded with the state government to fast track the revitalization of Primary Healthcare Centers in the state.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
