The Lagos State Government says it has carried out a comprehensive assessment of no fewer than 329 Primary Health Care centres (PHCs), to ascertain their functionality.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi disclosed this on Wednesday, at a Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration’s first year in office.
Abayomi said that the assessment was part of efforts geared toward the revitalisation of the Primary Health Care System in Lagos State.
He said that the assessment focused on the level of functionality and geographical positioning system of the PHCs, to identify gaps for service improvement efforts.
Abayomi said that the comprehensive assessment was carried out in collaboration with two non-governmental organisations — Health Assist and PharmAccess Foundation — to improve the quality of service delivery at PHCs across the state.
The commissioner said that with the assessment, the key areas of focus of PHC revitalisation would include Infrastructural Upgrade, Data Management, Operational Cost, Power Supply, Water Supply and Drug Supply.
He said that the revitalisation would also cover Sewage Management, Staffing and immunisation Programmes.
The commissioner also listed Bridging Communication gap between the Ministry of Health, Local Government and Primary Healthcare Board, Facility Management and Monitoring, Financing Mechanism, Insurance Scheme among other areas.
According to him, these are issues that have constituted challenge for the third tier of health care delivery, which must be addressed.
”We are not unmindful of the challenges facing Primary Health Care System.
“This is the reason why we embarked on the assessment exercise as part of our plan to effect major and lasting transformations that will make access to healthcare facilities at the grassroots hitch free.
”Equipped with knowledge of identified gaps, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the last one year embarked on the construction and renovation of 39 primary healthcare centres across all 57 local government and local council development areas to bridge the gaps.
”Twenty-three of these PHCs are completed and ready for commissioning while others are at various stages of completion,” he said.
Abayomi said that in collaboration with Rotary International, the Sanwo-Olu-led administration had constructed and delivered five Medical Portakabins to five PHCs, as part of its infrastructural upgrade drive for improved service delivery.
The commissioner called for more synergy between the State Ministry of Health, the Local government authorities and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to have a robust and viable service delivery at the PHC level.
According to him, it will only amount to an exercise in futility if all stakeholders work at variance.
Abayomi said that the primary health care was the bedrock of any health care system.
”It is because the challenges confronting this level of health care system are not adequately addressed, that is why the secondary and tertiary levels of care are overwhelmed,” he said.
The commissioner said that the increased investment in the health sector in the last one year covering infrastructure, human resource for health, disease control, use of technology and innovation, coupled with the implementation of the Lagos State Health Scheme affirmed the commitment of Gov. Sanwo-Olu- led administration to the attainment of the universal health coverage.
Abayomi said that good health and wellbeing of residents remained an enormous agenda that the present administration would vigorously pursue.
