X-Ray Of Buni’s Health Sector Rejuvenation
At the inception of the Buni administration in Yobe State, the governor promised a better healthcare system that will work for all especially those at the grassroot who usually find it difficult to access quality healthcare in their immediate communities.
However, worthy of note are giant strides the administration has been able to attain in the health sector. Through Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency, the State Government has been providing affordable healthcare services to all State and Local Government civil servants as well as members of their families.
This mission covers the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of medical care. Civil servants are deliberately targeted in order to tackle the high rate of poverty that prevents average citizens from accessing healthcare services, thereby reducing high mortality rates resulting from non-communicable diseases but silent killers such as hypertension, diabetes and malaria.
In line with Buni’s initiative, the State’s primary healthcare system is receiving maximum attention, so far, over 130 primary healthcare units have been fully renovated and equipped with health facilities to function optimally. The idea is to bring the provision of healthcare closer to the people at the grassroots at affordable costs.
Prior to now, a lot of burden was placed on the secondary and tertiary health facilities in the State, but through the upgrading, revitalisation and rehabilitation of the near comatose primary health system, the citizens now patronise the primary healthcare centres for minor ailments that were hitherto managed at the secondary and tertiary health facilities.
This has largely reduced the number of patients in the aforementioned facilities, thereby giving them room to carryout their specialised duties for which they were set up.
Although global statistics depicting maternal and child health status has not fully fared better in the country, the Yobe State Government has adopted several measures to reduce its menace.
In realisation of the enormity of this problem, the State Government constructed and commissioned for use maternal and child care centres in some major towns of the State including Gashua and Potiskum.
It went a step further to construct the biggest maternal and child centre in Nigeria located in the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital, Damaturu and is awaiting presidential commissioning. The centre is expected to reduce maternal and child mortality level in Yobe to zero and ensure optimal performance.
This is in addition to training and re-training of the workforce who are the drivers of the health sector reform initiative of Buni’s administration. Apart from reviewing their welfare package, the State Government was able to make their working environment more conducive.
Some state-owned hospitals were also upgraded to specialists status for improved services at the doorstep of the common man.
Undoubtedly, Buni has kept faith with his promise to bring health to all in Yobe. Though there are still more grounds to cover, the key thing is that a solid foundation for healthy Yobe has already been laid.
Husaini Mohammed Isa writes from Abuja.
