Abia state government has directed the 17 local government transition committee chairmen and the relevant health agencies to ensure that only qualified healthcare personnel are employed to head the 291 healthcare centres in various wards of the state.
The governor said that the aim was to ensure provision of quality health care delivery services to the people at the grassroots.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who gave the charge while declaring open the stakeholders meeting on local government area Assessment ; Synthesis and Action planning meeting health at Damgrete Hotel, Umuahia , reiterated government committed towards giving serious impetus to the primary health care institute in the state by partnering with all donor agencies to ensure that the health care needs of Abians are met.
Represented by his deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, Dr Ikpeazu pointed out that the interest federal and state government’s attached to the issue of primary health care under one roof led to it being superintended by the various deputy governors on the belief that the challenges in the healthcare sector can only be address if adequate attention and impetus are given to the primary health.
He applauded their coming to the state to carry out an assessment exercise on health care delivery at the various local government areas and assured that government would not renege on its promise of paying all the necessary counterpart funds to donor agencies in the health sector.
In his address, the Executive Secretary, Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Chinagozi Adindu stated that the essence of the meeting was to access what has been done in the primary health care as no nation can survive without a robust health for its citizens.
He thanked the Abia state government for paying its counterpart funds of over N150m to qualify for the basis Abia state fund which has helped immensely in rendering health care for Abians .
In their goodwill messages, the representative of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mr. Adeshina Adelekun, the WHO Representative, Sir Peter Ezeugwu and the state Team leader from Health Policy Plus, Sylvester Ikejide said the Health Care under one roof programme could not have be achieved success without support from the Abia State government and implored custodians of the primary health care and participants to utilize and monitor the programme for success.
The meeting was attended by the T.C Chairmen of the 17 local
government areas in the state led by their chairman, Chief P.C Onyegbu, stakeholders in the health sector and various Resource persons.
