BY RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka
The Chairman Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Health and lawmaker representing Aguata 2 State Constituency in the 8th legislature, Hon. Tony Muobike has said that primary healthcare centres in the state are addressing the medical and health needs of those at the grassroots level.
Muobike who spoke exclusively with this reporter shortly after plenary on Tuesday at the assembly complex Awka, also observed that the huge resources being committed to PHCs are yielding positive results because access to comprehensive healthcare package is now guaranteed at the primary healthcare centres.
He also commended the efforts of the health commissioner Dr. Afam Obidike whom he said has proved his mettle in managing the health sector meticulously with very tangible results.
Muobike said the health sector is being revamped and that all the PHCs in the 326 wards of the state are being renovated and equipped for optimum service delivery even as he also disclosed that about 500 health workers were recruited to address human resource needs in the hospitals.
Although Muobike noted that the opposition political parties may not appreciate the quantum of transformations in the health sector but the reality on ground, according to him, is that the primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in the state are very functional and accessible to the people at the grassroots.
He said he was at the launch of Human Papilloma Vaccine (HPV) by the governor's wife Dr. Mrs. Nonye Soludo at Aguleri Anambra-East council area, noting that such initiative is a testimonial to government commitment to saving lives.
He also stated that to further demonstrate the governor's avowed commitment to saving lives, the governor assented to the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Bill which is now a law in Anambra State, all in a bid to ensure that quackery is eliminated in the health sector.
The House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Health also disclosed that Ekwulobia General Hospital in his constituency is currently being renovated as well as giving facelift by the present administration.
He said five new general hospitals have been built by the present state government, pointing out that in Anambra-North senatorial zone Okpoko, Fegge, Umueri, Enugwu-Otu and one other have functional general hospitals.
The lawmaker who encouraged the Commissioner for Health Dr. Afam Obidike to continue to pilot activities of the health sector in the right direction, also advised the state government to do more for the people of Anambra State inorder to sustain access to affordable quality healthcare services in the hospitals.
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Hon. Tony Muobike