Hot SourceSegun Awofadeji in Bauchi
Apparently committed to promoting family health, reducing infant morbidity, and maternal mortality rates, the Bauchi State Government has expressed an unwavering commitment to the continuous provision of free antenatal care, drugs for pregnant women, and children under 5 years across the state.
The state Commissioner of Information and Communications, Usman Shehu Usman, made the declaration while leading a team of journalists on a media tour of ongoing and completed projects of the present administration of Governor Bala Mohammed.
The commissioner, while leading the team to see the Primary Healthcare Centre in Konkyel, Darazo Local Government Area, and Model Primary Healthcare Centre, Dagauda, in Dambam LGA, stated that the government has made drugs, delivery kits, and other commodities available for the success of the free medical services.
According to him, the government is committed to quality, efficient service delivery in the healthcare sector of the state in order to ensure that patients have unhindered access to services.
He called on the people to feel free to attend any health facilities across the state in order to access healthcare services that are readily available.
The officer in charge of the Primary Healthcare Centre in Konkyel assured the people that drugs are available at the pharmacy, while delivery kits and other essential healthcare services are available.
At the Model Primary Health Care, Dagauda in Dambam LGA, the Officer in charge of the facility, Tafida Hussaini, said that free antenatal care and drugs to pregnant women and children are ongoing as part of efforts to address maternal mortality in the state.
Tafida Husasaini said: “There is this programme that the government is doing in which we offer free drugs for antenatal and vaccines among others.”
He added that the Bauchi State Government has made funds available, with which adequate drugs were purchased and stored for usage in the hospital.
He further stated that: “We have enough water, there is solar power for 24 hours, we don’t even use the national grid, and this hospital has the capacity, our neighbours from Gamawa LGA can testify to this.”
On the issue of securing the facility with the huge money invested, the officer in charge said the facility has been equipped with security both by the LGA and another agency, and called for additional staff to ensure effective management of the hospital.
According to him, “We have seven security guards that was provided by the African Development Bank. This is in addition to the ones provided by the LGA.”
Hssaini said before the renovation and the upgrade, the hospital had 30 30-bed capacity but the upgrading brought the number up to 49.
He added that there is a lack of adequate manpower,, saying: “Additional manpower is needed to take care of the increasing level of patronage.”
He said that following its upgrade and expansion, the model primary health centre has become a hub for access to affordable and quality healthcare services to not only the people of Dagauda, but also the people of Gamawa, Nengere, Fika, among other places.
According to him, “You can even see for yourself, the hospital is filled with patients. We appreciate the local government area chairman who provided additional space for us behind the main building to accommodate more patients.”
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