By Kemi Olatunde

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Ondo State Health Commissioner, Dr. Banji Awolowo Ajaka has reiterated government’s resolve to embrace training and retraining of health workers for effective health care delivery in the state.

He spoke while declaring open a five-day National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) refresher training of frontline health workers in the state in Akure.

According to him, training is crucial for health workers due to new discoveries in the health sector, noting that it will motivate them to give quality service to residents.

While stating that government is giving priority to Primary Health Care (PHC) to achieve universal health coverage, he commended the NPHCDA for putting the programme in place, calling on other partners to support government in achieving the best in the state’s health sector.

He added that the training which is on human resource for health should be cascaded to other health workers in health facilities in the local government areas of the state.

Ajaka who commended the Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for his investment in the sector, noted that process of recruitment of health workers is ongoing, adding that new officers will be trained for qualitative health care delivery.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Niran Ikuomola stated that participants are being trained on the components of PHC for improved service delivery.

He said that although the state is short-staffed, the available officers must give their best to provide best care for residents.

Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), Dr. Victor Adefesoye stressed the need for improvement in all aspects of the health sector, calling on participants to enrich themselves with required knowledge during the exercise.

Jhpiego Momentum Countries, Global leadership – Quality of Care Project Advisor, Dr. Elizabeth Chukwu described revatilisation as the key in achieving UHC stating primary health care plays a vital role in its achievement.

Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Hospitals’ Management Board, Dr. Ayodele Adiji stressed the need for health workers to work as a team for improved sector, adding that Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the sector must collaborate to achieve the target goal.

Ondo State Coordinator, World Health Organisation, (WHO), Dr. Dele David Sunday in his goodwill message stated that Nigeria has a goal to revitalize PHC service delivery and respond adequately to any form of disease and curtail it.

According to him, Nigeria wants to put in place surveillance activity which is sensitive enough to detect disease within the community by strengthening routine immunisation in all health facilities to increase a high immunity within the community.