Obaseki inaugurates Primary Health Care Remodelling Committee

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Wednesday inaugurated a committee on the Remodelling of Primary Health Care (PHC), to facilitate the proper functioning of PHCs in the state.

Speaking during the inauguration at Government House, Benin, Obaseki said the current state of PHCs in the state was not ideal and that the system needed to be overhauled.

He said that the remodelling of the PHCs would help to reduce the burden on secondary and tertiary health centres, as well as reduce the cost patients spend to access health services.

The governor said that the remodelling initiative was aimed at achieving one standardised PHC in each of the 18 Local Government Areas of the state during its pilot stage.

He, therefore, urged the committee to conduct an assessment of the current facilities at the PHCs, including cold stores, identify the challenges confronting the centres, as well as evolving implementable plans.

Obaseki charged the committee members to bring their wealth of experience to bear and come up with the ‘New Vision of Primary Health Care housed under One Roof in the state’.

The governor added that a committee on the Edo Health Insurance Scheme would also be set up as part of his administration’s plan to improve access to health care services in the state.

In her remarks, the Chairman of the committee, Prof. Obehi Okojie, thanked the governor for the opportunity given to them to serve.

Okojie said that the health indices in the country were appalling, noting that the strengthening of the PHCs would help Nigeria to solve 70 per cent of its health problems.

She said the committee would live up to its responsibility and carry out a systematic review of existing health data, with a view to evolving a functional PHC system in the state.