Rivers Plans Three Referral Hospitals In Senatorial Zones

As part of measures to reduce the pressure on secondary health centres, the Rivers State Government, has hinted of plans to establish three general hospitals to operate as referral centres for the various primary health centres across the state.

Governor Chibuike Amaechi gave the hint during a media chat with journalists at the weekend in Port Harcourt.

Amaechi said,” we are looking at upgrading three general hospitals at the Senatorial Districts as referral points, that is our focus. We will try to construct the three referral points where the primary health centres will refer their patients to’’.

He disclosed that the State Government was poised to build more primary health centres above the current 120, adding,” I hear there is improvement of doctors attendance to work due to these primary health centres”.

The Rivers State Governor promised that the state government would deliver over 160 of such health centres before the end of the year.

In order to ensure effective management of the state-owned hospitals, Amaechi stated that government was tinkering with a Public Private Partnership(PPP) for the newly built Kelsey Harrison Hospital in Diobu and Dental Clinic including another hospital located at the Rivers State University and Technology.

Explaining further, Governor Amaechi stated that his administration planned to provide free medicare for the citizenry.

He also explained why the government resolved to run a loan scheme for nursing mothers as he urged them to make use of government hospitals.

We introduced the credit loan scheme for pregnant mothers to encourage mothers to use the primary health centres and reduce the number of their visit to secondary health centres” he declared.

Representative of Kwara State Governor, Mr Kayode Towoju (left), handing over the overall trophy to Team UNIPORT Captain, Fidelis Awusa (middle) at the closing ceremony of the 13th West Africa Universities Games (WAUG), in Ilorin last Saturday. With them is Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Is-Haq Oloyede (right).