Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has said the Monday Okpebholo administration had initiated policies and reforms that would ensure a sustainable healthcare delivery system.
Idahosa stated this while chairing the second meeting of the state’s task force on primary health care at the Government House in Benin yesterday.
Participants at the meeting included the taskforce members, stakeholders and developmental partners.
In his keynote address, the deputy governor called for societal vigilance and surveillance to help curtail effects of the outbreak of dengue fever and diphtheria.
He said the state was putting up concerted efforts at building a responsive and resilient PHC system.
He encouraged members of the task force to be solutions-driven as well as being instruments of change in their quest to disseminate, enlighten and champion a result-driven health process that benefits residents of the 18 local government areas.
He added that the plan was to make primary health care the most accessible form of health care in the state for better outcomes.
Idahosa commended the Egor local government chairman, Hon. Kelvin Eguaekun, for his concerted effort to network and maintain cleanliness in his council.
He said the state government would implement a reward system for local government chairmen who disseminate and implement processes for cleaner environments to prevent diseases.
Among chairmen who pledged to implement decisions at the meeting were Hon. Haruna Mohammed of Owan East and Hon. Joy Ohonyor of Owan West.
The commissioner for health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, said measures had been put in place to combat the outbreak of diphtheria.
He said the state received 20 doses of diphtheria antitoxins from the Delta State government.
“We also want to commend the UBTH, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and development partners such as UNICEF, WHO for their collaborative efforts and provision of technical support to combat the disease.
“NCDC provided the state with diphtheria antitoxins and intravenous erythromycin and other logistics.
“In addition, the NCDC team is presently on ground to do a verbal autopsy of some of the current victims of the diphtheria outbreak,” he stated.
