By correspondent in Lokoja.
The Governor kogi state, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, says his government will soon commence rehabilitation of 70 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state.
Governor,who Ododo disclosed this on Thursday in Lokoja while flagging off the distribution of medical equipment and consumables to all state – owned healthcare facilities in the state,said funds for the rehabilitation of the PHCs had been secured by the state government.
He further revealed that contractors had pre-qualified for the rehabilitation of the PHCs located across the 21 local government areas of the state.
He, however, said seven new health facilities would be constructed, adding that they woukd be cited in communities where they are currently not available.
Our correspondent reports that occasion also marked the commencement of the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) programme for children by the state Ministry of Health and its donor partners.
Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to revitalize the health sector in the state, stressing that no one in any part of the state deserves any form of deprivation from accessing quality and affordable healthcare under his administration.
“Quality healthcare delivery is a multi-dimensional system which depends on joint efforts from Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations,”Ododo stressed.
The governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing interventions in the health sector through development of infrastructure and human resources under the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration in the country.
He also commended partners and donor agencies for supporting the state towards ensuring sustainable, affordable and accessible healthcare delivery for all, irrespective of class, gender, or location across the state.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health Dr. AbdulAzeez Adams, said the provision of the medical equipment and consumables showed the commitment of the Kogi State government towards ensuring good and quality healthcare delivery to her citizens.
He noted that the government had invested huge resources into revitalizing the healthcare delivery system in the state as evidence by investment in various infrastructural development in the health sector.
This development,he added, has further enhanced the
collaboration with partners and donors within and outside the country to make equipment and consumables available to healthcare facilities in the state.
Adams enumerated the equipment and consumables to include: “Oxygen Concentrators, UPS, Pulse Oxymeters, Oxygen Cylinders, flow meters, nasal canula, Generators, 4 Mobile X-ray machines, patient monitors, apron and theatre scrub.
Others ,he further revealed are: microcentrifuge tubes, intravenous infusions, filter universal pipette tips, surgical gowns and Public Address Systems for sensitization across the 239 wards in the state.
In similar vein,Governor Ododo has disclosed plans by the state government to commence the rehabilitation of the Kogi State Central Medical Store which houses the Kogi State Drug Management Agency.
The store was recently upgraded to an e-pharma warehouse by the state government.
This decision, he said would ensure proper storage of drugs and medical consumables and enable the state government to procure drugs from manufacturers directly at cheaper rates for distribution to health facilities in the state.
Governor Ododo also approved the provision of two units of 33KVA electricity transformers and generators for the state Cold Chain Facility to guarantee uninterrupted power supply and sustainable chain management for vaccines and other medical consumables in the state.
Edited by Dawud Ahmed.
