RAYMOND OZOJI reports
Lawmakers in the 8th legislature of Anambra State have recommended that primary healthcare centres in the state should be revamped for optimum services to the rural populace.
Some lawmakers who spoke to this journalist at the state assembly complex Awka, stressed the urgent need for primary healthcare facilities to be made functional inorder to respond to the health and medical needs of the people especially those in the hinterlands.
Golden Chukwuebuka Iloh, who represents Ihiala 2 state constituency, said that primary healthcare centres in Ihiala 2 state constituency are in very bad shape. Iloh recalled that the PHCs were occupied by unknown gunmen during the dark days of insecurity and were all vandalised beyond recognition.
The lawmaker specifically stated that Lilu and Osumoghu primary healthcare centres were burnt down by criminal elements and that Isseke and Okija PHCs equally suffered the same fate, adding that his constituents are in dire need of the health centres.
However Noble Igwe who represents Ogbaru 1 state constituency noted that some of the PHCs in the area like the Okpoko secretariat PHC, PHC East Niger, PHC Okpoko ward 1 and PHC at St. Luke's Anglican Church are very functional but insisted that the PHCs required more priority attention.
Atuchukwu Nonso of Nnewi-South 1 constituency who expressed worry that the primary healthcare centre in Amichi community is being underutilized, emphasized that the presence and prevalence of private hospitals and medical centres where people are taken care of free of charge has made the primary healthcare facility in the community common and underutilized.
To this end, the Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts headed by Hon. Noble Igwe, through its performance audit report of primary healthcare centres in the state recommended that government should recruit, train and equitably deploy qualified healthcare personnel to all primary healthcare centres across the state.
The lawmakers equally recommended that adequate budgetary provisions and timely release of funds should be ensured for the procurement of essential medicines, medical equipment as well as routine maintenance of primary healthcare facilities.
They were of the opinion that the management and utilisation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Funds should be strengthened improved transparency, accountability and periodic reporting to ensure that resources are utilised for their intended purposes.
The lawmakers also recommended that the Anambra State Health Insurance Agency should as a matter of urgency, review its drug procurement and distribution framework to ensure that essential medicines required for first line treatment at primary healthcare centres are consistently available.
That functional water supply, reliable electricity, adequate sanitation facilities, effective waste disposal system and appropriate security measures should be provided in all the primary healthcare facilities. They insisted that monitoring, supervision and internal control mechanism should be strengthened to improve accountability,transparency, service delivery.
They recommended that regular maintenance of renovated health facility should be institutionalized to preserve government investments as well as ensure sustainability. That healthcare workers should undergo continuous professional trainings and capacity building programmes to enhance competence and improve patients' care and keep pace with evolving healthcare practices.
The Honourable members believe that periodic performance evaluation should be conducted to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and value for money in primary healthcare service delivery. That the Anambra State Primary Healthcare Department Agency should strengthen its performance monitoring framework to ensure the full implementation of the recommendation contained in the report.
That interested indigenes should be trained as nurses and healthcare givers and subsequently employ them to serve in their localities as it would help bridge the gap of job abscondment.
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