By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
Prof. Oluwasogo Olalubi, the Head of Department of Public Health, Kwara State University, (KWASU) Malate, has urged Federal Government to allocate 70 per cent of health sector budget to Primary Health Care (PHCs) centres.
He made the call in Ilorin during paper presentation at the Rural Health Accountability Project (RHAP) event organised by FRIDABS Solacebase Communications.
The programme was co-organised by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism and support from McArthur Foundation with the theme “Engaging PHC Heads in Building Stronger Work Force To Improve Health Care Services Delivery.”
Olalubi, who said that “PHCs are in a complex and dilapidated stage in the country”, added that most of the structures are obsolete and lack basic tools.
He advised government at all tiers to consider providing basic infrastructure and amenities necessary for PHCs across the nation.
He added that “PHCs must be upgraded with internet facilities and equipment, while healthcare workers must be accountable and ready to protect equipment supplied to these PHCs.”
The don, who also spoke on the novel malaria vaccine, said it was timely, but advised on the need to ascertain its efficacy before aadministering to people.
Alhaji Abdullateef Abubakar-Jos, the Publisher of Solacebase Communications, explained that the Rural Health Accountability Project aims to improve health at the PHC level.
He said participants of the programme include heads of department of PHC centres across local governments in Kwara.
He stressed the need for a tripod approach in salvaging PHCs in the country, including healthcare workers, government and the people.
While calling on healthcare workers to address their complex attitude toward patients, he said “most patients have lost confidence in the PHC system and bypass this stage to the secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery.”
He emphasised that effective funding and commitment remained key to revamping PHCs and challenged media practitioners on investigative reportage of PHC activities. (NAN)
