GROUP TASKS SOUTH EAST GOVERNORS ON ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE

 
REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

South East Governors have been urged to declare a state of emergency in the health sector to enhance quality and access to health care, especially among those living in the rural areas.

The Project Leader of a nongovernmental organisation working on COVID-19 Transparency and Accountability Project (CTAP), Mr. Iyanuoluwa Bolarinwa, made the call in Owerri at the end of a meeting held with stakeholders in the sector, which focused on Setting Agenda for health care in Nigeria.

He appealed to the government at all levels to make universal health coverage accessible to Nigerians, especially the vulnerable ones, noting that a good number of citizens could hardly access health care.

Mr. Bolarinwa stressed the need for prompt release of funds budgeted for health, harmonization of salaries of health workers across the states and increased monitoring of health facilities to ensure quality service delivery.

He called on state governments to establish infectious disease hospitals in the senatorial districts with functional modular laboratories and ambulance services to handle health emergencies.

The participants, who were mostly top officials from ministries and agencies of government in all the south east states, identified poor remuneration, inadequate manpower and inadequate funding as some of the challenges facing the health sector in the zone.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health in Imo State, Dr. Prosper Success, said the challenges facing the sector were surmountable.

The Commissioner added that the state government was working hard to improve health care for residents.

 EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU