GOVERNOR OKOWA'S ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE HEALTH SECTOR.

Patriot Dantes Odogwu.

In my last article on "Warri Central Hospital", I made a promise to enumerate the achievements of Governor Okowa in the health sector.

Find below record achievements in just two years.

1-. Purchase of medical/laboratory equipment and infrastructural repair to meet accreditation requirements in College of Health Technology, Ofuoma, Ughelli North LGA.Ofuoma, Ughelli

2 Remodelling/Rehabilitation of the Renal Dialysis Building at the Central Hospital, Warri

3- Renovation and re-equipping of Children's ward at the General Hospital, Patani Completed-Patani

4- Total Renovation, equipping, furnishing, purchase of brand new Ambulance, and upgrading of Cottage Hospital, Abavo to the full status of an ultra-modern standard General Hospital. Azuowa-Abavo

5- Rehabilitation of water supply scheme at the general hospital, Patani , Patani L.G.A.

6 -Construction of internal and external access roads at the Cottage Hospital, Azuowa-Abavo in Ika South L.G.A. Completed. Azuowa-Abavo

7- Procurement of hospital equipment at the general hospital, Patani in Patani L.G.A..Patani

8- Procurement of 9 Nos. Oxygen Concentrators. spread across the three Senatorial Zones in Delta State .

9- Recommencement of Work at Central Hospital, Asaba

10-Restructuring of Delta State Emergency services and payment of all outstanding commitments
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11- Supply of 10,000 NoS., mama kits to health centres in the State.
12- Renovation and remodification of Central hospital, Agbor. (Group A) in Ika South LGA Agbor

13- Repair of faulty medical equipment in ten hospitals across the State Delta State (3 senatorial districs)

14- Distribution of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) forms in Delta State

15- Total remodelling and Procurement of equipment for Accident and Emergency ward at General Hospital, Patani, Patani L.G.A. Patani

16- Supply of medical equipment to Udomi-Abavo Primary Healthcare centre and surrounding Health centres in Ika South Local Government Area Udomi-Abavo

17- Construction of ultra-modern 400m3/Day MBR sewage treatment plant at DELSUTH Oghara DELSUT, Oghara

18- Supply and installation of incinerators and its shelters at DELSUTH, Oghara DELSUT, Oghara

19 Grant to DELSUTH for major equipment repairs, MRI, CT Scan, Mobile X-ray and power supply. DELSUT, Oghara .

20-Administration Block completed at School of Nursing Warri to improve on office accommodation.

21-The Free Maternal and Free Under-5 Healthcare Programmes

22-Financial assistance by Government to vulnerable and impoverished Deltans for treatment.

23-Training of Paramedics at College of Health Technology (CHT), Ofuoma. After adequate training, including possible overseas exposure, these paramedics would be well-armed to run our reformed Emergency Medical System(EMS)/Ambulance services in the state.

24-Construction of students’ hostel at School of Nursing, Agbor has reached advanced stage of completion. This project is to meet Nursing Council’s requirements for increasing the student admission quota to 50 like Eku and Warri.

25-Establishment of Sickle Cell Clinics at various hospitals in the State. So far 7 such clinics have been established, one each at Ughelli, Sapele, Eku, Oleh, Patani, Agbor and Kwale.

26- Upon assumption of office,Governor Okowa promised Deltans to pursue legislation that will support and promote Universal Health Insurance Policy for all Deltans. The inauguration of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, marks the fulfillment of that promise.

27-Signing into law the Bill establishing the Delta State Schools of Nursing and Midwifery.

28-.Training of personnel on various programmes, including control of diseases of public health importance has been ongoing.

29-Tuberculosis Control -Care of multi-drug resistant TB patients in Delta State has since commenced and the cure rate from 2013 to 2014 is 83%.

30-Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Between January and November , 2016, the DRF has supplied drugs, medical consumable and laboratory reagents worth N806, 618,018.00 to hospitals in the state. In-house, there is improved capacity for quality control of drugs distributed by DRF to hospitals. There has been improved drug supply chain management leading to reduction in out-of-stock complaints.

It is imperative to state here that the main thrust of the present administration’s health policy is to ensure universal health coverage which guarantees availability, accessibility and affordability of health care for all Deltans with appropriate technology and accountability.

With the inauguration of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Delta became the first State in the country to have a mandatory health insurance scheme for the purpose of universal healthcare coverage.

Today Delta State, through DELSUTH, can boast of having one of the best Neonatal Intensive Care Units in the country. The unit takes care of pre-term and sick babies who, hitherto, would not have had the chance of survival.

Maternal Mortality Ratio: The rate at which women die during pregnancy or child birth – Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) – is one of the most important global indicators of the quality of healthcare of a nation. For us in Delta state the MMR has declined from 459 in 2007 to 111 per 100,000 Live Births in 2015. Fro preliminary results so far, it is estimated that this figure will be further reduced by the end of 2016.

This is a reflection of the success of the Free Maternal Healthcare Programme which the present Administration has continued to implement in spite of the limited resources

Even more significant to us as a government is that the poor, women and the vulnerable will no longer have to seek recourse to money lenders to pay for health services, leading to further impoverishment

Consequently,Perinatal Death Rate has shown a gradual decline from 43 per 1000 deliveries in 2012 to 36 per 1000 deliveries in 2015, and data have so far shown a decline in 2016.

So you will all agree with me that despite the prevailing harsh economic reality,we have made steady and remarkable progress in the health sector and i therefore encourage critics to admit it when Governor Okowa has done well. I know he is inclined to do more to justify the confidence reposed in him by Deltans.

I therefore encourage every one of us to engrave this on the tablet of your heart-APPRECIATION IS ACTUALLY APPLICATION FOR MORE.
Thank you.