ABIA State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHDA) on Tuesday said it would evolve programmes to revitalise Primary Health Care (PHC) system in the state.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Chinagozi Adindu, made this known during an interview News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Tuesday.

Adindu said that the agency was working toward improving quality, accessibility and utilisation of basic healthcare services provided at Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs)
in the state.

He noted that such centres were the first tier in healthcare delivery because they were closer to people in rural areas and communities.

He said “there are 746 PHCs in Abia. We want to ensure that people have easy access to quality healthcare services in these centres.

“We want to evolve more programmes to protect the people of Abia from avoidable diseases and deaths.”

Adindu noted that the decision was informed by the need to build an efficient primary healthcare system and reduce the burden on secondary and tertiary health institutions.

He explained that ASPHDA had plans to conduct statewide health education programme, as well as continue to promote observance of national immunisation plus days.

The executive secretary said “it is disheartening to note that most people bypass PHCs
in their localities to seek medical attention for common ailments from secondary or tertiary health institutions.

He added that in some cases, sick people and  pregnant women go as far as patronising quacks, which further exposed them to life threatening health conditions.

He urged the people of Abia to patronise PHCs, adding that the state government was committed to ensuring that the centres function optimally.

He said that the resolve to improve primary healthcare had received a boost as Abia received medical equipment worth not less than N200 million from National Primary Health Development Agency. (NAN)

– July 2, 2019 @ 16:55 GMT |