Sharpen your skills, health workers tasked

From Kemi Olatunde

Health workers in Ondo State have been advised to equip themselves with the necessary skills needed to function effectively for the overall improvement of the state health sector.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro gave the advice while declaring open a state level training of trainers on Modified Performance Based Financing, Health Care Waste Management, Financial Management and Monitoring and Evaluation by the Nigeria State Health Investment Project (NSHIP) in Akure last Friday.

According to him, it is important for them to be abreast of the necessary facts needed to work with during the take off of the system so as to achieve better health service delivery.

While stressing the need for all Primary Health Care(PHC) centres to become efficient, he explained that it will prevent unnecessary pressure on both the secondary and tertiary health facilities.

While appealing to participants to be attentive to avoid waste of government resources, he however added that participants should scale down the training to other health workers in order to achieve better health care services.

Executive Secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Francis Akanbiemu noted that the event is aimed at increasing the number of experts needed to pass knowledge to health workers across the state.

He therefore advised participants to scale down the training to others in order to expand the project in the state.

Project Coordinator of NSHIP, Dr. Paulinus Omode while expressing appreciation to officials from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for assisting the state in pooling trainers for the exercise, he thanked the state government for its support for the project in the state.

However, he charged participants on the need to be more committed and dedicated to both the training and the health sector.

In her presentation, Dr. Olubunmi Olakunde described the Performance Based Financing (PBF) as a health system approach with an orientation on result defined as quantity and quality of service output noting that it entails making health facilities autonomous agencies which work for the benefit of health related goals and their staff.

Putting the participants through on essential drug management, Somo-Aina Omodolapo who described quality as an important aspect of drug management, noted that essential drugs are drugs which satisfy the health care needs of the majority of the population which according to her must always be available at all times, in adequate amount, in appropriate dosage forms and at affordable prices.

While cautioning the gathering on the wrong practice of putting drugs on the floor, she maintained that all processes involved in the procurement and storage of essential medicine as well as availability must be adhered strictly to.