The high premium placed on the health sector by the Gov. Yahaya Bello’s administration, making it second in her five thematic areas of the blue print agenda after Education, has triggered massive investment in the health sector.
Dr. Zakari Usman, Kogi State Commissioner For Health stated this at a presentation on ‘ Health: How Kogi State became a ‘ Reference Point’ in Nigeria at the 3rd Annual GYB Seminar for Political and Crime Correspondents/Editors, holding at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
The two-day seminar, aimed at empowering professionals on the beats in focus with relevant skills and information to perform their important roles efficiently.
The Commissioner explained that health care service delivery in Kogi State is one of the best in the country and second to none, insisting that the state has fared excellently well in the considering item as stipulated in the WHO Health Systems Strengthening building blocks.
The Health Commissioner said the State has done well in the area of service delivery, human resource for health, access to essential drugs/supplies, health care financing, health management information system and leadership/governance.
The Gov. Bello’s administration the Commissioner explained have built many new well equipped hospitals such as the Reference Hospital, Okene with modern diagnostic equipment (MRI, CT scan, Digital X-Ray, Digital Ultrasoud Machine, Hyperbaric Oxygen etc).
Others he mentioned are the ultra-modern hospitals at Gegu Beki in Kogi LGA, Eganyi in Ajaokuta LGA and Isanlu in Yagba East LGA.
” Other hospitals that witnessed expansion and repair are Prince Abubakar Audu University Teaching hospital, Anyigba, Kogi State Specialist hospital, Lokoja, zonal Hospital Idah and many Basic Health Care Provision Fund facilities across the 21 local governments in the state”.
“Our robust disease surveillance and Prompt response to health threats/outbreak of diseases has made the state to be relatively safe despite sharing boundaries with ten states and the FCT”.
” With every sense of commitment. Over 3000 health workers have been employed in 2018 to fill the huge human resource gap inherited from the previous administration. This cut across all cadres; doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, medical record officers and ward attendants. There is also provision for regular replacement of officers who exit the service for one reason or the other. The workers are well motivated in terms of regular payment of salaries and capacity building”.
The Health Commissioner praised the initiative of Gov. Bello to bring health care closer to the populace, particularly the poorest of the poor.
” Under five children, pregnant women, people living with disability and the aged, over 13,000 persons across the 21 LGAs and 239 wards in the state have benefited from this initiative whereby they are enrolled into care and treated free of charge. This is funded 100% by the state government”.