Primary Healthcare Service Delivery Is A Priority In President Buhari’s Administration – Ehanire

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has disclosed that the cardinal point of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration is to provide affordable healthcare delivery services at the primary level.

Dr. Ehanire made the disclosure when he paid a working visit to the Federal Staff Hospital, Jabi in Abuja. The Minister after being taken round the hospital complex by the management of the hospital led by its Managing Director Chinwe Igwilo said that the primary focus of health givers should be the patients, saying without them the hospital will be just an ordinary building.

Ehanire also said that the era whereby patients are bullied and looked down upon has gone, adding that patients in the hospitals are kings and should be respected and their dignity preserved. He admonished the management of the hospital to be very frugal with the available resources at their disposal bearing in mind the economic situation in the country. He added that the slogan now is “do more with less funding” so that the healthcare delivery system can be taken to the next level.

While speaking at the occasion, Managing Director of the Federal Staff Hospital, Jabi in Abuja, Chinwe Igwilo told the Minister that the 160-bedded hospital was solely built and furnished by the Chinese Government in 2012 and donated to the Federal Government of Nigeria. She espoused that through the IGR, the management has been able to add some facilities including – the Conference Room, VIP Section, 34 – Seat Library, Staff Quarters, IVF Centre and a host of others.

Igwilo also drew the attention of the Minister to the challenges the hospital has been facing, especially in the area of sewage disposal, lack of incinerator, epileptic power supply and inadequate funding.

In response to the address, the State Minister for Health inferred that he was quite impressed with the quality of leadership and services being provided by the management of the hospital and that sustainability of the existing facilities should be given a serious priority as the Ministry would strive to look into their challenges and provide some solutions. [FMH]