Covid-19: APC states pledge to sustain immunisation, improve health care delivery

The All Progressives Congress, APC controlled states have agreed to improve, their health care delivery system, as well as sustain the immunisation and other response efforts against COVID-19 syndrome.

The states also agreed to align with Federal Government declaration of 15% annual allocation and release to health care services.

The APC states stated this after a meeting of Commissioners of Health and Executive Secretaries of Primary Health Care Development Agency which aimed on the need to improve the  Primary Health Care Delivery in their states.

The meeting which held Thursday in kwara has its theme “Improving Primary Health Care Delivery in APC State” was declared opened by the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

There were also presentations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo and the Representative of the Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Abdullahi Bulama Garba.

Among the resolution of the APC states contained in a Communiqué signed by Dr. Raji Razaq, Commissioner of Health, Kwara State and Salihu Moh. Lukman, Director General, Progressives Governors Forum, PGF, stated, “The need for APC states to align with Federal Government declaration of 15% annual allocation and release to health care services;

“APC States to undertake establishment of sustainable health care financing system such as health insurance and health emergency trust fund.

“APC States to domesticate Primary Health Care under one roof in line with Federal Government policy initiative under the National Primary Health Care Development Authority;

“Priority consideration to be given to Maternal and Child Nutrition in Primary Health Care Delivery Services;

“APC States to strengthen coordination of initiatives to fast tract implementation of PGF Policy initiatives on Maternal and Child Health Services Delivery;

“Initiatives to revitalise Primary Health Care Services, beyond erecting structures but also guaranteeing sustainable funding of facility operations to be prioritised;

“Public health care services should be data driven with the appropriate ICT;

“Undertake to strengthen regular processes of information sharing on issues of primary health care delivery among APC controlled States to facilitate synergy of initiatives and proactive responses; and

“COVID 19 response efforts, including immunisation should be sustained in APC States.”

The states however agreed to continually share information, ideas and knowledge through this kind of meeting and the PGF Secretariat to promote synergy across the member States and facilitate greater cooperation for sustainable development and improved primary health care delivery.