…Osun moves to reduce child & maternal mortality, receives 315 SDD refrigerators
…Our intervention is paying off, says Gov. Oyetola
Osun state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday inaugurated the state emergency maternal and child intervention centre (SEMCHIC) and the community health influencers promoters and services (CHIPS) programmes.
The move, according to the governor was to reduce the menace of child and maternal mortality in the state, as 315 Solar Direct Drive(SDD) Refrigerators were received from development partners, namely:
National Health Care Development Agency, Global Alliance Vaccine Initiative, UNICEF, among others, for the preservation of immunized drugs against diseases.
Oyetola, who was represented at the event by his Deputy, Benedict Alabi,
explained that the newly inaugurated CHIPS agents were saddled with the responsibility of identifying pregnant women and children, who are in need of medical care services and refer them to primary health care facilities for adequate attention.
He, further said that the initiative would accommodate and provide basic curable services to children under the age of five, and as well enhance community participation to guarantee maternal and child health as part of intervention of his administration in the heath sector.
The governor, while highlighting the rationale behind efforts to strengthen the primary health care delivery in the state said the major focus of such intervention was to tackle child and maternal death headlong.
He, added that the state has been able to put the health sector in the right footing through the renovation and equipping 332 primary health care centres across the state, as well as adequate motivation of the health personnel for greater productivity.
”With these efforts, the hitherto decadence in the health sector across the state is speedily becoming a thing of the past.
“Our government is restoring the lost confidence in Primary health care system by the general populace, as 332 PHCs have been renovated by our administration and they are currently in use at the various LGAs .
“The speed at which the works were completed is a proof that our administration is goal-oriented and truly means well to deliver the dividends of democracy to all and sundry”, Oyetola asserted.
He, however, emphasised the need to galvanize and coordinate the efforts of the government, in order to ensure efficient utilization of resources and maximize coverage with high impact intervention.
The Chairman of Primary Health Care Board, Hon. Leke Ogunsola, in his welcome address thanked governor Oyetola for what he described as a revolution in the health sector across the state, noting that the governor is strictly working in line with his promise to the people of the state.
