FG tasks states PHC agencies on maternal, infant mortality reduction
NAN-HG-1
Mortality
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, June 15, 2017 (NAN) The Federal Government has called on states and FCT Primary Health Care (PHC) agencies to redouble their efforts on reducing maternal and infant mortality in the country.
Dr Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), gave the task on Thursday in Abuja.
Shuaib spoke at the inauguration of “Implementation of Primary Health Care Under One Roof’’ in a workshop with the Executive Secretaries of the state PHC agencies.
He explained that whatever various primary health care agencies were doing in states that did not reflect in reduction of deaths of pregnant women and children in their respective states were all efforts in futility.
He stated that Nigeria’s poor health outcomes in critical areas had shown in high death rate of pregnant women and children under the age of five in the country.
“We are expected to deliver on results and we will be held accountable for our performance and most important evidence of our performance will be seen in the reduction in deaths of pregnant women and children.
“I believe today’s meeting provides opportunity to further examine the challenges faced in our efforts to bring governance framework for Primary Health Care under one roof.
“This is our new commitment as the national council on health to ensure effective coordination for primary health care,” he said.
The executive director tasked all State Heads of Primary Health Care Agencies to open up on their challenges with a view to provide practical solutions to them at the meeting.
He emphasised that primary health care remains the foundation for making reasonable and sustainable changes to the poor health indicators, since it deals with most of the preventable deaths.
According to him, NPHCDA under his leadership would continue to work to bring the actual coordination and implementation of their mandates under one roof in practical ways.
Shuaib pledged to continue to work with states to strengthen routine immunisation, vaccine development, development partner support for PHC interventions and human resources optimisation, among others. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola