ODSG to boost UNIMED facilities
By Kemi Olatunde
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As Primary Health Care(PHC) gains global attention, Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro has reiterated government’s resolve to fortify the PHC by providing adequate training and retraining to key officers.
This according to him will not only guarantee an improved service delivery, but will also give the state health sector a boost.
He disclosed this while declaring open a five day update training on primary health care for medical officers of health which was put in place by the Department of Community Medicine, Ondo State University of Medical Science (UNIMED), Ondo in collaboration with the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Board on Monday in Ondo.
Describing knowledge acquisition as a necessity for workers in the health sector, he stressed the need for the PHC to be fortified in order to make it easy for the people to access health.
His words: “It is important to train and retrain medical officers of health and programme officers among others at the PHC level so as to give their optimal performance at work.However, he charged participants to use the knowledge gathered for the benefit of the state.
In his address, Executive Secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Francis Akanbiemu described knowledge acquisition as a major tool needed by health medical officers to perform maximally in order to achieve the desired result in the health sector.
According to him, “Knowledge is one of the important tools in public health practice.” He however assured that government will continue to ensure that it improves the health of the people of the state by equipping relevant officers with needed tools.
In his goodwill message, Vice Chancellor of UNIMED who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Adeseye Arogunjo commended the organisers of the five day training workshop which he described as an avenue to learn the process of making the best of the medical profession.
He explained that it was put in place to enable participants meet up with the burden of their works saying. “It is important to look for avenues to learn ways to improve on the global scientific burden.”
While reiterating the school’s commitment to the development of medicine in the community, he added that the exercise will go a long way in revitalising the Primary Health Care in the school, state and country at large.
His words:”The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Friday Okonofua is always passionate about the fact that the University is contributing its quota to the development of medicine in the community.
“We hope for more partnership with the University, so as to shock up the global rank of the University.”
Registrar of the school, Mr. Yinka Adekalu while thanking OSPHDB for the collaboration, described primary health care as a driving force in the medical profession especially at the grassroots.
Dean, Faculty of Clinical Services, UNIMED, Dr. Joseph Fatukasi stated that the exercise will open up several areas and also enlighten participants in various aspects of public health.
Speaking in a lecture titled; “Overview of Community Health, Primary Health Care and HFA: Global, historical perspectives and practice”, Dr. Michael Asuzu of the Department of Community Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, noted that Nigeria runs a ward based PHC system.
According to him, medicine has a wide range of training and stressed the need for doctors to be trained on emotional intelligence so as to facilitate smooth collaboration with other health workers.
He described PHC as the first level of contact of individuals, family and community with the national health system saying ” it brins health care close to where people live and work.”
In his contribution to the lecture, Dr. Akanbiemu stressed the need for doctors to allow other health workers thrive saying” Doctors must create opportunity for other health professionals to be, what they want to be for the advancement of the health sector.”
