By Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Alh. AminuJauro Hassan has said that his agency’s desire to change the narrative of providing Health Care Delivery to the teaming population of Taraba State was born out of the passion and compassion the Executive Governor of Taraba State His Excellency Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku has on the wellbeing of the good people of Taraba State.
Speaking with journalists in his office in Jalingo recently, Alh. Aminu Jauro said, in line with the Rescue Mission Agenda of Governor Darius Ishaku, the Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA) was working hand in hand with other health parastatals, NGOs and Taraba State Ministry of Health to ensure that at least they reposition and revitalized the one Primary Health Care (PHC) per Ward Concept which he said was so dear to the Executive Governor of Taraba State.
He said “We are determined and are vigorously putting in place all these things because, our Excellency the Executive Governor of Taraba State is committed and so devoted to ensure that a common man in Taraba State is rescued health wise. That is why we are also touring towards that line in collaboration with our partners and indeed with the support the Governor is giving us. We are reaching not only to the Local Government Headquarters of Taraba State but even the hardest of the hard to reach settlements of the 16 Local Government Areas.”
Highlighting some of the successes they have attained so far, the Executive Secretary said with the support and counterpart funding from the Governor, the agency had worked in collaboration with other partners to reach out to a hundred and fifty settlements with comprehensive health care services free of charge.
He said apart from completely eliminating white polio virus in the state, they have also successfully reduced maternal mortality in the state Health Facilities through training and retraining of the existing health personnel in the area of child Delivery.
In their efforts towards reducing the prevalence of Hiv Virus in the state, the Executive Secretary said the Agency had successfully implemented the Nigerian State of Emergency project on AIDS in 8 Local Governments of the state covering over 90 Health Care Centers.
He said they had repositioned the centers in terms of both human and infrastructural development to an appreciable level and had also installed all the complements medical equipment and trained personnel who are working for 24 hours per day in those areas.
Alh. Jauro revealed that the track record of successes the Health Sector in the State is making under the leadership of His Excellency Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku had woo so many partners and organizations in the state who are working in collaboration with them to ensure that they improve the level of Health Care Delivery to the teaming populace in the state.
While applauding the pro-activeness and compassion of the Governor on the general wellbeing of Tarabans, the Executive Secretary said “as I am speaking to you, His Excellency has given a counterpart fund of one hundred million naira for the state to benefit from the Basic Health Care provision fund through the three gate ways of State Health Care Development Agency, State Contributory Health Insurance Agency and the State Emergency Gateway from the State Ministry of Health.”
“We have already received the first tranche of the money and we will start using it when we are done with all the necessary things that are required.” He added.
He said the Governor in his usual magnanimity also gave the State Ministry of Health the mandate to employ Nurses, Midwives and other staff aside the waiver he gave for the retaining of those going to be retired in the next three years as they were still needed in building the young ones that are coming on board.
The secretary pledged that his agency would continue to partner with all the relevant organizations in line with the Rescue Mission Agenda of His Excellency Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku and in line with the primary Healthcare norm of providing integrated comprehensive primary Health Care Service to ensure that the Universal Health Service Coverage of One PHC Per Ward is actionable in Taraba State.
