Gov. Idris Wada of Kogi has assured rural dwellers in the state of 24-hour qualitative and efficient health care delivery system as part of his transformation programme for the health sector.
Wada gave the assurance at Okpo, Olamaboro Local Government on Saturday at a one-day free medical treatment organised by the state branch of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) for rural communities in the three senatorial districts of the state.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Yomi Awoniyi, said his vision for rural dwellers was one that would enable them to have 24-hour access to medical services in all cottage and general hospitals across the state.
He said that the state would employ adequate medical personnel and provide quality facilities in the hospitals as he called for inputs from the NMA on ways to improve health care delivery in the rural areas.
The governor described primary health care delivery as the bedrock for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) objectives in the health sector.
Wada pointed out that as part of his administration’s commitment to quality health care delivery, he had declared free treatment for pregnant women and children under the age of five in all the state’s health institutions.
In his response, Dr Attah Ahmed, the State NMA Chairman, said the health care intervention in rural communities was aimed at providing treatment for malaria, hypertension and de-worming of children and adults.
Other services to be rendered, he said, included voluntary counseling and testing for HIV, Hepatitis A and B, provision of treated mosquito nets and free drugs.
Ahmed said the intervention programme was part of the NMA 2012 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and was the association’s way of reaching out to the rural poor and the less-privileged. (NAN)