PRIMARY HEALTH CARE UNDER ONE ROOF: OGUN TO TRAIN OFFICERS

To ensure successful implementation of Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR), Ogun State is to invest in the training of health workers.

This is one of the measures to ensure provision of essential commodities and availability of drugs towards achieving global health practices in healthcare delivery.

PHCUOR is a policy document, introduced by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and approved by the National Council on Health in 2011, to reduce fragmentation of all services under one authority.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, gave the assurance in Abeokuta, during a meeting organised by the Primary Healthcare Development Board for Local Government Chairmen, Supervisors for Health and Local Government Health Secretaries, stating that government was passionate and focused on achieving robust, efficient and effective primary health care delivery.

Dr. Coker hinted that efforts were geared towards solving challenges faced by Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), with the notion of incorporating Local Government Chairmen for effective implementation of the programme, adding that the initiative would make health workers in local governments to be competent in the discharge of their duties.

          "We will be investing in training of our health workers; we will also invest in ensuring essential commodities and drugs are available", she said.

The Commissioner assured of continuous upgrade of PHCs across the state with modern equipment, stressing that qualitative services at the centres would be accessible and affordable.

Speaking on the functions of the Local Government Chairmen, Dr. Coker explained that there were six Health Authorities in each Local Government, headed by the Chairman, who would coordinate and ensure health workers in his local government comply with guidelines.

      Remarking, the Chairman, Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr. Babatunde Emilola-Gazal, charged his colleagues to brace up to the responsibilities assigned to them, in achieving the objectives of PHCOUR.

"Healthcare is a major responsibility of government and we all know that primary healthcare is the bedrock of healthcare anywhere ", he said.

Mr. Emilola-Gazal, on behalf of members of the Association, pledged unalloyed cooperation and support to enhance the health policies and programmes of Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration.

In her contributions, Chairman, Health Secretaries Forum, Dr. Atinuke Duzeh, emphasised the importance of community engagement and awareness to increase utilisation of the facilities.