By Stephen Adeleye.
The Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA) on Wednesday held its inaugural board meeting, with a call for adequate funding to enhance quality healthcare delivery for the residents of the state.
In her remarks, the KSPHCDA Board Chairperson, Hon. Ojonugwa Achimugu, congratulated the members, the Executive Director, management and staff of the agency, assuring their willingness to contribute their quota for more success in the agency.
She said that the meeting would enable the board members to be well informed about the concept of the primary health care, their roles, functions and responsibilities.
Achimugu enjoined the members to collaborate to work for the good and wellbeing of the good people of Kogi state.
On his part, the Executive Director of KSPHCDA, Dr Abubakar Yakubu, said the maiden board meeting was an opportunity to make bold the confidence reposed in them by Governor Yahaya Bello.
He said that the agency was established by a Law passed by Kogi State House of Assembly and accented to by the then Governor, Alh Idris Wada, on April 10, 2012.
According to him, the agency’s mandate covers providing leadership, promoting and supporting the implementation of quality and sustainable PHC system through advocacy, resource mobilisation, partnerships, capacity building and collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
He said the baseline survey conducted in 2018 showed that Kogi had 838 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), adding that it had increased over time due to new facilities built through SDGs and private organisations.
He highlighted some challenges facing the agency to include; funding, permanent office accommodation, office furniture & equipment, inadequate personnel, official vehicles, and difficulties in achieving the PHC Under One Roof (PHCUOR) since 2020.
He, however, noted that in spite of the challenges, the agency had made some tremendous achievements in routine immunisation campaign, sustained collaborations with stakeholders, more health facilities, improved service delivery, among several other achievements.
The lead consultant to the agency, Dr Mary Ojonema Onoja-Alexander, presented a paper, titled: ”Concept of Primary Health Care and the Role of the Board in Kogi State”.
She stressed that Governments have a responsibility for the health of their people, which could only be achieved by the provision of adequate health and social measures.
According to her, the principles of PHC include equitable distribution, community participation, intersectoral coordination, appropriate technology as well as prevention.
She explained that the PHC has eight essential components such as: education about common health, maternal and child health care, promotion of proper nutrition, basic sanitation, and adequate water supply.
Others include immunization against infectious diseases, prevention and control of locally endemic diseases, and appropriate treatment for common diseases and injuries.
