Stakeholders want defined roles for govts in health care
From Okumephuna Chukwunwike, Abuja
PARTICIPANTS at the just concluded National Stakeholders' Consultative Meeting on Primary Health Care in Nigeria have made a call that the proposed National Health Act should contain a clear definition of roles and responsibilities for the various tiers of government and all cadres of primary health care workers for a service-oriented delivery.
They, specifically, proposed that all matters relating to Primary Health Care (PHC) be harmonised at all level and vested in the National Primary Health Development Agency for easy co-ordination and effective result.
They opined that the establishment of State Primary Health Care Board and Local Government PHC authority, which is similar to the existing State Primary Education Board and Local Government Education Authority would go a long way to ensure that primary health care is made available at the grassroots level and early eradication of the infant killer diseases, especially polio.
The proposals form part of the 16-point communique issued after the meeting organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency last weekend in Abuja.
Calling for an accelerated implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme for the accessibility of the vulnerable groups and rural dwellers, they asked the government to review the curriculum of PHC cadres to include HIV/AIDS, other emerging and re-emerging diseases and institutionalise continuing education for effective disease eradication strategy.
The stakeholders condemned the peanut being paid to the rural health workers in form of allowance and made a case for its upward review even as they called for the strengthening of the co-ordination of development partners' contribution to PHC and routine immunisation to achieve at least 80% coverage.
The communique also highlighted the development of mechanism for surveillance activities and health management information system. It further pointed out the need for the encouragement and incorporation of traditional and alternative practices into PHC services.
Other issues raised in the communique included the development of a single Primary Health Care policy document, comprehensive strategic plan for PHC, establishment of PHC manpower policy and public/private partnership in PHC scheme.
