ODSG recruits primary health care workers
By Kemi Olatunde
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As parts of its effort in repositioning the state primary health care system, Ondo State Government will soon begin the process of staff recruitment of primary health care workers.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro disclosed this while declaring open a five day workshop on costing of Minimum Service Package (MSP) for primary health care in the state in Igbaraoke.
According to him, the process of recruitment will be in line with standard civil service procedures noting that all primary health care workers will soon be completely devoted to the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency.
Speaking further, he commended the state governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for approving the renovation of one primary healthcare facility per Local Government Area in the state, explaining that “the renovation shall be guided by the Minimum Service Package (MSP) guideline to deliver 18 facilities that will measure up to the MSP standard.”
He described the Primary Health Care Under One Roof(PHCUOR) policy of the Federal Government as a policy which has brought efficiency into the management of primary health care saying “one management, one plan and one monitoring and evaluation have been ensured since the implementation of this vital policy across the country.”
He stated that the state has keyed into the policy through effective coordination and supervision of the 18 Local Government Primary Health Care Authorities and ensuring steady improvement in the quality of primary healthcare services.
Commending the state for performing well in the 2018 national assessment of the PHCUOR, he noted that the state didn’t do well in the aspect of minimum Service Package saying “we had a 40 percent score in the MSP pillar” and added that the state is set to improve on the score.
He described the workshop as part of the MSP implementation process aimed at costing the Minimum service expected to be delivered in each of the three categories of health; health post(type one), Primary Health Clinic (type two) and Primary Health Centre(type three).
While lauding the state governor for the distribution of medical equipment to primary healthcare facilities last Friday, the commissioner however reiterated government determination to reposition the state primary healthcare system for optimum performance.
Speaking earlier, Executive Secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), Dr. Francis Akanbiemu noted that the state has put in place measures for the achievement of PHC under one roof saying “this is typical to ensure that the state is abreast of relative in the provision of minimum service package for health.”
Describing the training as a timely intervention necessary for the fulfilment of FG’s policy, he explained that it will assist the state in developing the cost of each of the service package that will be provided at the PHC centres noting that “all services at the PHC are not of the same category in terms of provision of services.”
According to him; “this will help us categorise activities into the various groups they belong and it will also assist us in the cost of providing the services including human resources, facilities, financial requirements and monitoring and evaluation.
” With these, the state is already ahead of many states in Nigeria in terms of PHCUOR. “
However, he charged participants to make meaningful contributions for the benefit of the state.
In his goodwill message, representative of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Niyi Ekisola, stated that the basis for the assessment is to ensure that states of the federation upgrade their PHC.
Commending the state for outstanding performance in some pillars of PHCUOR, he stated that the state can be among the best 10 states in the next assessment if it improves in performance of registration and minimum service package.
On his part, a staff of UNICEF, Tunde Ayoade who rated the state’s health sector high in terms of performance, appealed to the people to have a change of attitude in order to achieve the desired result for PHCUOR in the state.
Speaking with The Hope, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, OSPHCDA, Dr. (Mrs) Yetunde Olagbuji emphasised the need for costing of all services in order to standardise PHC activities.
While describing PHC as the only strategy to achieve health for all, she noted that “when we have the minimum service package in place, the PHC will no longer be what it used to be in the state.”
