To further boost primary healthcare services in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, has revealed that over 203 midwives and community health extension workers from the defunct Midwives Service Scheme and Sure-P programmes are being employed by the administration.
The minister, who disclosed this on Thursday at the launch of 12 kilowatts power volsus solar for health mini-grid for primary healthcare centres in Karu, also maintained that though the state of FCT PHC infrastructure by 2018 was adjudged unacceptably poor with achievement of only 30 percent of required minimum human resources for Primary Healthcare, the administration has articulated a 3-year costed PHC Infrastructure Rehabilitation Plan involving over 100 of the 247 PHC facilities across the six Area Councils to change the narratives.
Represented by the Acting Secretary of FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, the minister noted that PHC infrastructure, electricity, water supply, vaccines storage and sanitary waste management system form the performing elements used by the World Health Organisations to evaluate Health Care Access and Quality Index Assessment.
Aliyu, also stated that the Federal Capital Territory Administration is set for partners, while calling on primary healthcare stakeholders to come in and support the PHC scheme development in the next 3 years and beyond.
According to a statement issued by her Special Assistant Media, Austine Elemue, the minister said: “In the FCT, the state of PHC infrastructure by 2018 was adjudged unacceptably poor with achievement of only 30 percent of required minimum human resources for Primary Healthcare. However, it is gratifying to note that, we have articulated a 3-year costed PHC Infrastructure Rehabilitation Plan involving over 100 of the 247 PHC facilities across the six Area Councils.
“And to further boost our primary healthcare, 203 midwives and community health extension workers from the defunct Midwives Service Scheme and Sure-P programmes are being employed by the FCT Administration. The FCTA is set for partners and PHC stakeholders to come in and support our PHC scheme development in the next 3 years and beyond.”
The minister, however, commended the Volsus Energy for this initiative and particularly for partnering with the Federal Ministry of Power in this Volsus Solar for Health (VSFH) programme, stressing that the initiative was a clear demonstration of a successful inter-departmental and inter-sectoral collaboration which is one of the key principles of PHC scheme.
She also added that the programme was designed to facilitate sustainable alternative energy system for the PHC system in Nigeria using sustainable, cost effective technology.