By Correspondent in Lokoja.
An appeal has gone to the Kogi State Government to employ more medical doctors to boost the health sector and ensure effective service delivery.
The State Chairman of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), Dr Osaretin Okaungbiwa, made the appeal during the association’s ”Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2021”, in Lokoja, tagged: ”Kogi State Health System Strengthen: Where Are We?”
Okaungbiwa,who said the appeal became relevance as few available ones were inadequate for the needed effective service delivery.and over stretched,also enjoined government to organise leadership training for the existing medical officers, boost their expertise and efficiency.
The state Chairman lauded the state government on the approval full implementation of COMMESS for all medical doctors under it service abd described the move as a positive boost to stabilise the health sector of the state.
According to him, said that the new leadership of the association in Kogi had made significant and verifiable strides within one year in office and acknowledged the support and encouragement by members and the past chairmen of the association as well as the parent body, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) to the new leadership.
Contributing, Dr Agbana Emmanuel, a Consultant, Public Health Physician,noted that Kogi government had been doing well in its health care delivery services and embarking on expansion of existing health institutions and upgrading of Specialist Hospitals
Emmanuel, who is the Acting Provost College of Health Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, said Kogi had four tertiary health facilities; three owned by the state and one by federal government, 4,216 health workers with 69 in the category of medical officers, nine consultants and 2,012 registered nurses.
“Right now, Kogi has 838 functional primary health facilities, 54 secondary health facilities and 1,144 private registered health facilities,” he said.
Emmanuel stressed that the 2021 Annual General Meeting of the association was to evaluate Kogi Health System, input, process and output so far.
Also speaking, Dr Aledare Adekunle, the Executive Secretary, Kogi State Health Insurance Agency (KGSHIA), who presented paper, entitled: ”Kogi State Health Insurance Scheme: The Journey So Far”, urged states, local governments, corporate organisations and individuals to key into the scheme, assuring them that the scheme played important role in the health needs of the people.
”Health Insurance Scheme helps to reduce users fees, helps to share risk between insured and the insurer.
”It helps to provide financial risk protection to citizens and strengthens the health system, as a major driver of Universal Health Coverage,” he said.
The executive secretary noted that Health Insurance Scheme was created in Nigeria in 1999 and commenced in the state in 2019, saying that “it is a feat targeted at providing Social Health Insurance for all Nigerians.”
He disclosed that so far,the Agency had secured the accreditation of 50 Secondary Health Care facilities and 236 Primary Health Care facilities for service provision.
Also speaking, the Kogi State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Simeon Oyiguh, appealed to government at all levels and Nigerians to be conscious of the rising insecurity across the country and stressed the need for joint efforts in the fight against the menace that had killed many innocent people and made life miserable for thousand others.
Our Correspondent reports that Awards were presented to deserving doctors for making their marks in their professional callings.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
