By Abooluwa Famakinwa
The Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has reaffirmed that Primary Healthcare remained his administration”s priority and promised to invest in it by ensuring that basic necessities are met at this level promptly.
He made this statement at the 3rd quarter 2019 Polio Task Force meeting which held in Akure.
Arakunrin Akeredolu said that his government had been responsive to the needs of the people at the Primary Healthcare level, this includes approving the recruitment of more Health Workers to boost the capacity of the Primary Healthcare for a more efficient service delivery.
The Governor opined that the investment of his administration in Primary Healthcare is beginning to yield the desired result as the States came first nationally in Routine Immunisation with 79% ,as there is a remarkable improvement in the coverage of Antigens.
The Governor who was represented by his Special Adviser on Health, Dr Jibayo Adeyeye said the State is still maintaining the 300% improvement in all Primary Healthcare activities as assessed by the Lots Quality Survey which is a performance result for programme monitoring.
He also disclosed that in an assessment done by WHO and other collaborators, the State was rated very high in documentation for Polio-Free certification.
Arakunrin said the State in recognition of the fact that the use of vaccines against vaccine preventable diseases is the only sure and effective way of securing the future of children, especially those under five, from Poliomyelitis and other childhood killer diseases, is now more committed to the struggle.
In 2019 alone according to him, the State has conducted outbreak 1& 2, Reactive Yellow Fever Campaign, National Immunisation Plus Days and has started training health workers for the introduction of 2nd dose of Measles Vaccine into the into the Routine Immunisation which will be launched on the 24th of this month.
He commended Caretaker Chairmen of the 18 LGAs for their commitment to Primary Healthcare activities and for inaugurating and conducting the maiden meeting of the Polio Task Force meeting as well as strengthening of Routine Immunisation.
The Governor urged the Caretaker Chairmen to continue to hold the meeting on monthly basis and to support the launch of the 2nd dose of the Measles vaccine into Routine Immunisation.
He thanked stakeholders for their commitment to the struggle, while tasking them to do more.
In his Feedback report on Polio Eradication and routine Immunisation, the WHO State Coordinator, Dr Akinola Fatiregun reviewed immunisation activities in the state between last quarter and the third using various parameters and concluded the State had performed very well in most of them.
Dr Fatiregun who was represented by Mr Opeyemi Ekun charged LGA Caretaker Chairmen to take ownership and spearhead immunisation activities in their domain and also ensure Task Force meeting at the LGA level holds regularly.
Dr Fatiregun said among the non high risk states, Ondo State has performed well but could do better if challenges such as; inadequate human resources, inadequate funding for routine immunisation activities and insecurity are addressed.
In his Address of Welcome, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro said the meeting which is to allow stakeholders review government input, evaluate them and appraise the decleared output and also assess the impacts was a Federal Government directive.
The Commissioner who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Francis Akanbiemu informed stakeholders of the good news of improved performance of the state in most of the indicators of Primary Healthcare activities as assessed by the World Health Organisation(WHO) and National Primary Healthcare Development Agency(NPHCDA).
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