Primary Healthcare: CSOs Vow To Bring In Traditional Rulers To Prevail On Gov Sani Bello

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Niger State have called on Governor Abubakar Sani Bello to expedite action in constituting the board for the Primary Health Care Development Agency, (PHCDA) Board to meet the health care needs of citizens in the state, particularly for women and children.

The group also made a case for the involvement of traditional institutions, the media and other relevant agencies in Niger state in the advocacy for and promotion of quality and affordable health care delivery system in rural areas particularly.

Niger state Advocacy Team, Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) along with other CSOs  in a communiqué after a stakeholders’ meeting in Minna, expressed worry that the present administration in the state was yet to constitute a requisite board for the Prinary Health Care Development Agency in the state.

Niger state is among the few states of the federation that are yet to have constituted boards for their health care development agencies under the various health parastatals in their states.

The group argued that the inability of the state to raise a board for the PHC was robbing the state of millions of dollar worth of foreign aid from donor agencies and development partners.

There have been repeated reminders by concerned stakeholders on the state government to put in place a board for the state’s Primary Health Care Development Agency in the state but nothing has been done yet.

The Civil Society Groups argued that   the calls on Governor Bello to expedite action in putting in place a board to coordinate the affairs of the health sector was because the state and it’s citizens stand to draw from the technical assistance and interventions from donor agencies.

The communiqué signed by Dr. Steven Adeoye and Matthew Oladele, Chairman and Secretary of the coalitions, respectively, said the failure to inaugurate a new board by the present administration in the state, which has been in office over two years ago falls short of the expectations of most stakeholders.

 The statement said the critical stakeholders would not relent on their advocacies for the right and proper thing to be done. “We call on the state government to expedite action in the appointment and inauguration of new board members for effective coordination, control and monitoring of Primary Health Care Delivery in the state.

The concerned CSOs vowed to carry their concern to the Palaces of traditional institutions in the state to drum up support for their call on the Governor and to make him see reasons why it is necessary for the state to have a constituted board for the PHC.

The CSOs insisted that a constituted board will help guarantee an effective and affordable healthcare services for women and children across the state who are the most vulnerable group.

The communiqué said the CSOs and Primary Health Care Under One Roof also sought for the cooperation and support of the media for collaborations towards pressing on the state government to do the needful in achieving the desired objectives of setting up a board”.