Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The Kogi State Government has said each of the 21 local government areas of the state would get one more model health centers.
This is, in addition to the existing hospitals and health centres in the state.
The state government is also to establish health clinics in all major primary and secondary schools in the state through the Primary Health Care Development Agency.
Disclosing this while addressing newsmen, in Lokoja, on Wednesday, the executive director of primary health care development agency, Dr. Abubakar Yakubu, said the agency has been re-positioned to bring health needs to the door steps of all citizens.
Dr. Yakubu who said there was an outbreak of yellow fever in some local government areas shortly after his appointment said everything has now being in place in a way that the people in the state will not record any case of yellow fever in the next forty years.
He said the agency through its massive routine vaccine exercise has reached out to majority of its areas and that such people would not need another yellow fever vaccines again in their life time.
“We have tackled the problem of yellow fever headlong we have vaccinated all people of the vulnerable age ,one vaccine can last the rest of one life so in the next 40 years Kogi may not record any case of yellow fever outbreak ”
He solicited for the cooperation of the media to assist in educating the citizens on some health hazards in the state and for them to help publicize the activities of the agency.
“We need you media to help educate the public about our activities and give us feedback as well as their findings” he added
Yakubu expressed the opinion that primary health care services in the state should be under a single umbrella body for efficiency and proper administration and to avoid fragmentation, Leadership conflicts and duplication of roles.
He outlined challenges facing the agency to include paucity of funds to finance various programmes lined up by the agency and lack of serviceable vehicles.
Dr Yakubu thanked the development partners for their contribution to the success story of the agency and solicits for more supports.