Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has directed that the 305 health centres in the 27 local councils of the state should be rehabilitated before December 15, 2021.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Barth Okorichukwu, gave the directive yesterday, in Owerri, during a meeting with the 27 Interim Management Committee (IMC) chairmen and heads of health centres in the local councils, tasked them to act with dispatch.
According to the governor, the essence of the directive is to ensure that people in every nook and cranny of the state enjoy quality and accessible primary healthcare.
He said: “You would be involved in the supervision and monitoring of the projects, ensuring that they facilitate the work to beat the timeline targeted at actualising His Excellency’s vision of Imo having access to healthcare, which is in compliance with the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s mandate.”
The Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, said that the interaction was timeous, adding that the next phase would witness the rehabilitation of the general hospitals in the state.
Also, the Executive Secretary of Imo Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), Rev. Sr. MaryJonnes Uzoma, welcomed the initiative, describing it as landmark for the administration.
She said: “Since Uzodimma came on board as the governor of Imo, he has been working tirelessly to ensure that Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the state are working effectively and Imo citizens have access to quality healthcare.”
The IMC Chairman of Ehime Mbano Local Council, Chidi Okechukwu, said the measure would bring a vista of hope in health delivery at the rural setting.
The lawyer promised that he and his colleagues would carry out the directive religiously.
Uzodimma also expressed readiness to move into the rural areas and open them up. During his parley with the IMCs, traditional rulers and councillors from the 27 local councils at the Sam Mbakwe Executive Chambers, the governor hinted that the projects – health centres, roads, pipe-borne water boreholes and security outfit – will start in the rural areas next week.
“We are going into the rural areas now to open them up. We will attack all the roads in the rural areas and I have called you to this meeting, as stakeholders, to sensitise you on the need for you to own the projects,” Uzodimma said. He urged the stakeholders to identify location of existing health centres that have not been functioning, so that the renovation could be carried out.
“Work will start by Monday, or latest Tuesday. So between now and Friday (today), you would have indicated where the facility is and we will do the needful,” he added.
GAURDIAN
