Abia To Rehabilitate Secondary Healthcare Centres

The Commissioner for Health in Abia, Dr Okey Ogah, says that the state’s 2013 budget captured the rehabilitation of secondary healthcare centres in the state.

Ogah  made the announcement while briefing newsmen in Umuahia on the achievements of the ministry in the out-going year.

“Already, we have commenced the systematic rehabilitation, reconstruction and transformation of this sector,’’ Ogah said.

He explained that new secondary healthcare facilities would be built in Ikwuano, Obingwa, Ugwunagbo and Isialangwa South.

He said that the rehabilitation of the centres would help to ensure quality referral system and reduce the burden on tertiary health facilities.

“If you have a weak secondary health centre, people will depend on the tertiary health centres,’’ he said, adding that the situation had ‘’over burdened the tertiary health centre in the state. “This is a national problem because the referral system and secondary health centres are weak. “If we have these facilities functioning there will be less dependence on the tertiary health centre,’’ Ogah said.

The commissioner said that human resource development, through regular training and retraining of medical personnel to enhance quality manpower received priority attention in the 2013 budget.

He explained that the Amachara General Hospital had been upgraded as part of the Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Centre in Umuahia.

Ogah said the Abiriba General Hospital had also been rehabilitated, adding that contracts had been awarded for the rehabilitation of Okeikpe and Arochukwu General Hospitals.

The commissioner explained further that the state Executive Council had approved the contract for the ‘’total rehabilitation’’ of the old General Hospital, Aba.

He said the Isuikwuato, Ohafia, Umunneato and Okpualangwa General Hospitals as well as the Cottage Hospital, Aba, were listed for rehabilitation in 2013.

Other achievements in the health sector, he said, include the development of 250 primary health centres and the rehabilitation of 701 centres in the 291 political wards in the state.

Ogah said that some of the centres had become functional while efforts were being made to equip the remaining ones in collaboration with the MDGs Office.

He said that significant achievement was recorded in the immunisation programme, adding that about 70 per cent coverage had been achieved.

He said the ministry in conjunction with the task force on immunisation, embarked on immunisation in five local governments of Umuneochi, Bende, Aba south, Arochukwu and Ukwa.

The commissioner said the state established the Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency to coordinate activities in the health sector for greater efficiency.

‘’There has been improvement in immunisation, reproductive health programme as well as maternal and child health,’’ Ogah said. He said that the state’s health information system had been upgraded, adding that “it was adjudged the best in the South East zone at the last National Council on State’’.

Ogah said plans were on for the establishment of the Abia State Community Emergency Ambulance Service Scheme. He said a total of 17 ambulances procured recently by the State Government in collaboration with the MDGs Office would be deployed in the Local Government Councils for the success of the scheme.

The commissioner said the state had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme for Abia workers.