The Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri has reiterated the determination to achieve universal health coverage through effective implementation of a robust insurance scheme and fine-tuned Safe Motherhood Programme.
Governor Diri spoke at the maiden edition of the Bayelsa Health Summit held in Yenagoa, the capital of the oil rich Niger Delta State.
Diri who declared open the three day summit, said that the challenges inherent in the healthcare system require a collective approach to deliver on quality and affordable services.
Tackling Healthcare challenges
The governor noted that a study revealed that statistically, Bayelsa was lagging behind in administration of maternal and infant health services as well as experienced high prevalence rate of HIV/AIDs.
“Just as we joined forces to confront and mitigate the scourge of the Coronavirus pandemic, we must continue to collaborate as governments and indeed the private sector, civil society and all other partners, to ensure that good healthcare is available to everyone, everywhere in Bayelsa”.
“Our government is determined to ensure that the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme enjoys a robust health, even as we strive to make coverage universal. We are also looking to immunise and fine-tune the Safe Motherhood programme from the virus of inefficiency so the issues of maternal and infant mortality will be reduced in our state,” he said.
“The summit such would offer stakeholders the necessary platform to seek for answers to the healthcare conundrum in Bayelsa State. Much as we have our own policies, we want these policies to undergo a re-evaluation, re-examination with other critical stakeholders so that we come up with something stronger”, he added.
He expressed hope that the summit would enable the participants understand its health system challenges with a view to foster collaboration and deepen international development support for government-oriented and directed programmes.
“My administration is looking forward to concluding the framework for development of a Bayelsa State 10-year health system improvement plan”, the Governor said.
Collaboration with federal government
The Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire commended the governor for organising the summit in a bid to align the state agenda with that of the federal government.
Ehanire assured of the ministry’s desire to intensify its collaboration with Bayelsa State to achieve set objectives, stating that the ministry was in the process of launching a new health insurance package for Nigerians to further make healthcare services within the reach of core poor families across the country.
Political commitment
The keynote speaker and President of the Commonwealth Medical Association, Dr. Osahon Enabulele suggested that for healthcare delivery systems to function maximally, there must be the political commitment to improve the sector.
Enabulele stated that government must provide an enabling environment of peace, political stability, appoint the right persons to oversee health systems, adequate funding, continued training of personnel and implementation of key policies.
The Director General of the National Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu sued for increased surveillance system, investment in molecular laboratories, establishment of emergency centres and employment of trained health workers as well as the establishment of a centre for disease control to avoid any future economic lockdown.
Similarly, the Chairmen of Commissioners for Health Forum, Dr. Betta Edu, who is also the Cross River Commissioner for Health commended her Bayelsa State counterpart and Governor Diri for organizing the summit aimed at repositioning the healthcare sector.
The Bayelsa Commissioner for Health, Dr. Pabara Igwele described the summit as a platform for stakeholders to rub minds on ways to transform the sector as well as develop a roadmap for the future of the healthcare needs of the people.
The theme of the three-day health summit is “Achieving Improved Health System Performance through Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Engagement”.
Nneka Ukachukwu
