Adeyinka Adedipe
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has admitted that Nigeria is among the nations with the worst health indices in infant and maternal care.
He said this happens mostly in rural areas with no health care, where ignorance thrives, despite considerable expenditure on health.
The health minister made these known on Saturday at the inauguration of the South-South Zone Traditional Leaders’ Committee on Primary Health Care Delivery at the Festival Hall of Government House, Benin, Edo State.
He explained that to change things, steps must be taken to win the people’s trust, confidence and acceptance of government health interventions, in order to save lives and reduce illnesses.
Ehanire noted that the primary health care system is the bedrock of any functional healthcare delivery system, being the citizens’ first point of contact with the nation’s healthcare system.
The health minister, however, admitted that Nigeria has made significant progress in the health sector in recent years.
He said, “Despite this, Nigeria has made significant progress in recent years to improve on its primary health care services, especially with the revitalisation of more primary health care centres, with the policy of the Buhari administration that aims at leaving no one behind.
“However, we still have a lot of work to do, especially in rural and hard-to-reach areas, where access to health care services remains a major challenge.
“Experience teaches us that government cannot do it alone. This is why in all our primary health interventions, community engagement remains our strategic approach. In this regard, we know that our respected traditional leaders are key to success, because, not carrying the gatekeepers and custodians of our culture and values along would yield no result.”
Ehanire also stated that efforts are being made to build partnerships with the monarchs, whom he described as the custodians of community interest, to fast-track ways to promote health and prevent disease among the people, with scientifically-proven ways and means in modern health care.
Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Stanley Ehiarimwian, hailed the health minister, an Edo indigene, for making the state proud, while promising to support the newly-inaugurated SSTLC, to achieve its goals.
The Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, in his remarks, stated that SSTLC was conceived as a zonal coordination platform for paramount traditional leaders from the six states in the South-South zone.
The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, who was represented by the Obasogie of Benin, Chief George Ekhator, noted that the health minister was full of vision and wisdom and gave an assurance that Benin Kingdom would fully support the SSTLC initiative.
The South-South Zonal Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Josephine Obayagbona, earlier in her welcome address, described primary health care as the cornerstone of a healthy nation, noting that it was the first point of contact for individuals and families in accessing essential health services.
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