From Owen Akenzua, Asaba
Delta State government has reiterated its commitment to work with publishers of community newspapers, with a view to providing residents with essential health information and details about public health campaigns.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme made this known in Asaba when the publishers of community newspapers operating in the state paid him a courtesy visit.
Onojaeme identified the media as government’s major partner and stakeholders in development due to their vital activities such as information dissemination, health education, community engagement, advocacy and building trust activities.
Reeling out the efforts and measures by the state government towards a healthier Delta State, Onojaeme revealed that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration had approved the renovation of 143 primary healthcare centers and that in a couple of weeks, contractors would mobilise to site.
“We chose primary healthcare centres because of the important role they play. 80 percent of Deltans health needs would have been met,” the commissioner revealed.
He mentioned government’s efforts to retain healthcare workers in government owned hospitals and curb migration to include payment of doctors in residency training the sum of N951,000 each, approved a standing order that allows for the immediate replacement of health workers who exited the system for greener pastures outside the shores of Nigeria without passing through the long process of government recruitment exercise.
On issues of poor services rendered in government owned hospitals, the commissioner charged those aggrieved to present concrete evidence and they would be promptly looked into, and whosoever is found culpable would be sanctioned accordingly.
He informed the publishers of the various reforms carried out by the ministry, which has brought sanity to state-owned health institutions, such as restructuring of the five colleges of nursing services as evidenced in the last common entrance and PTS examinations that were merit based.
Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Newspaper, Prince Joseph Oromunokpae said the essence of their visit was to felicitate the commissioner on his appointment and assure him of their resolve to work with him to actualise the ‘MORE’ agenda of the governor.
