The Kwara Government has decried the dearth of health workers in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), saying their number cannot provide effective delivery of services in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Mrs. Amina El-Imam, said this on Tuesday in Ilorin at a one-day “Town Hall Conversation on State Health Sector between the citizens, healthcare professionals, stakeholders and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) with the State Health Commissioner.”
The conversation was organized by DEAN Initiative as COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability in Africa (CTAP) project under the leadership of Budgets and Connected Development (CODE).
El-Imam, who was represented by the Programme Fiscal Person for the ministry’s Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), Dr. Olabisi Oyeyipo said the challenge was really affecting the existing health centres as they are understaffed.
She said it was among the challenges faced by the health centres for effective service delivery in the state.
The health commissioner added that though the ministry recently held a training for the health workers on improving human relations, the workers were always overwhelmed and tend to misbehave.
She called for improved patronage of the PHCs as they are cheaper and easier to access.
El-Imam added that by patronising the health centres, community members would be able to engage government more on their needs.
While discussing the issue of COVID-19 vaccine, she said Kwara had effectively managed the virus and ensured the administration of vaccines as required, and also created awareness on it through radio jingles and public campaigns.
The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Nusirat Elelu, urged community members to take ownership of the health centres and not leave that to the government alone.
Elelu, who was represented by Dr Adeniran Ayodeji, said that by taking ownership of the health centres, residents would now allow things go wrong and they would be able to alert the government on time when interventions are needed.
She scored Kwara high in managing the virus when the heat was on and the eventual administration of vaccines in every nook and cranny of the state.
She urged CSOs to ensure the use of social mobilisation in carrying out their programmes, as it goes a long way in shaping the minds of the people and last longer.
The Executive Director, DEAN Initiative, Michael Larayetan, said the conversation was to foster collaborative dialogue, uniting citizens, healthcare professionals, stakeholders and CSOs with the state’s health commissioner.
The Finance Officer, Fisayo Olaleru, DEAN Initiative, said the initiative is CTAP’s education partner entrusted with leading vaccine equity and health sector accountability education and awareness.
She said the project is being undertaken in nine African countries to strengthen vaccine equity and health sector accountability in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Olaleru said the project is carried out in six states of Kwara, Rivers, Oyo, Enugu, Kaduna and Borno to have informed opinions across the six geo political zones.
She said the organisation worked for three months in Kwara, engaged 130 participants through Focus Group Discussions in three communities.
The members of different communities stated their challenges over the operations of PHCs in their areas, while government officials called for calm and promised to work on problems raised.
