Health
THE Anambra State Government says that plans are underway to establish its Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, to eliminate quackery and improve healthcare service delivery.
Dr Afam Obidike, the state’s Commissioner for Health, made the disclosure at the ongoing 2022 Revised Budget defence before the House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation on Friday in Awka.
Obidike said that the agency would be charged with the responsibility of monitoring the private and public health facilities to ensure registration accreditation, inspection and monitoring of facilities.
“In Anambra we have about 2,000 health facilities out of which about 1,500 are private hospitals and they provide health services to over 65 to 70 per cent of residents.
“We need to know what is going on in these facilities in terms of service delivery and give them required minimum standards for operations.
“The facilities will be classified accordingly either as clinics, maternity or specialist hospitals; and uploaded on our websites. The process will make it easy for residents to search online for their choice hospitals.
“There will also be a taskforce going round to monitor the health facilities, evaluate their performance based on set rules and upload data for the state,” he said.
Obidike said that the ministry also planned to launch Telemedicine in August, set up the Medical Service and Ambulance System as well as a drug quality assurance laboratory to test all drugs in the state.
Reacting, Dr Cater Dike-Umeh, representing Aguata Constituency I, and Chairman, House Committee on Health, urged the commissioner to set timelines for the ministry’s programmes.
“You do not have any excuse when it comes to the issue of health because it is a fundamental right of the people. So, ensure that the funds allocated to health are well utilised,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministry got N2.9 billion in the 2022 revised budget proposal. (NAN)
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Tags: Afam Obidike Anambra State Government Cater Dike-Umeh
