Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly will
soon pass into law the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency Act
to strengthen healthcare delivery system in the state.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke,
disclosed this in Uyo at the 2016 Annual General Meeting/Scientific
Conference of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) AkwaI Ibom Branch.
Speaking on the theme ‘Universal Health
Coverage in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges’, Luke called on doctors
to contribute to the process of strengthening primary healthcare
delivery system in the country.
He said the State Assembly was currently
understudying the national primary healthcare development agency act
with the intention of domesticating it so as to give strength to primary
healthcare delivery in the state.
According to him, the legislative process
for the actualisation of the act was expected to commence as soon as
the lawmakers resume from recess.“For me, the foundation for universal
healthcare access is the strengthening of primary healthcare delivery
system in the states with well trained personnel,” he said.
The Speaker stressed that an effective
and efficient primary healthcare delivery system backed by adequate
funding would go a long way in helping the state and country meet the
standard for universal health coverage.
Luke equally called for the provision of
better working condition for doctors and other medical personnel, as
well as the establishment of a special unit in the hospitals to handle
the health needs of doctors.
The Speaker argued that if a medical
doctor was not mentally sound, less fatigue and stress free, he or she
would not be able to take care very well of his patients and deliver on
his core mandate.
“The doctors are giving all their best,
sacrificing their comfort to care about the comfort of their patients,
but who are those that think about the comfort of the medical doctors.
If a medical doctor is not mentally sound, less fatigued and stress
free, he may not be able to take care very well of his patients and
deliver on his core mandate.
“So I am here to advocates for a special unit in our Specialist Hospitals to handle doctor’s health,” Luke said.
Also Speaking, the Commissioner for
Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong represented by the Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry, Mr. Bassey Attih, lauded the state NMA for a successful
hosting of their AGM, stating the commitment of the state government in
ensuring improved healthcare for the citizenry.
by Okon Bassey in Uyo
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