RSG To Inaugurate 70 Health Centres

A total of 70 new primary
health centres are due to be handed over to 70 communities in Rivers State in 70 days.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Tamunoiyoriari Parker, revealed this at a press briefing in his office last week.
Parker said the move was to further strengthen the health sector and the free medical scheme of the government, while expressed hope that the facilities will be put to good  use.
He stated that Amaechi administration has spent N60 billion on health matters since inception and wondered  why the people of the state will not take full advantage of the administration’s  good gesture.
He attributed the strike  action embanked  upon by the Resident Doctors Association of Braithwatte Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), to delay in payment of free medical bills, to which he said, N1 billion has been released.
He lamented the refusal to contribute  the social services levy which he said would have been a source  of fund for  the free  medical scheme.
He said, “we don’t want to contribute to  the social  services levy. Some people stopped it by a court action” adding that the free medical scheme was ran by revolving funds”, and appealed for understanding and support.
Parker said there had been hitches trailing the free medical scheme, and explained that government   was determined to continue with it.
According to him, “we have continued with it because of security challenges. It is another way to curb criminality, take off the burden of health challenges on our people, it is a means of empowerment to the people and for effective productivity”.
Listing some of the achievement  of his  administration since  the inception, he said  the state Ministry  of Health has achieved  100  per cent  immunisation coverage, which  he said has resulted in a drastic reduction of infant and maternal mortality, increased access to medicare, improved infrastructure and enhanced man power in the  state- owned health institution.

Tonye Nria Dappa

R-L: Director General, National Agency for the Control of Aids (Naca), Prof. John Idoko, Director, Strategic Knowledge Management, Dr Kayode Ogungbemi and Director, Research Department, Dr Aneni James, at the national symposium on Utilising Research Result To Improve Hiv/Aids Services in Abuja, recently.