A public health administrator, Dr Chinagozi Adindu, has called for public-private partnership in order to revitalise the primary health care sector in the country.
Adindu, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive of Abia State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ABSPHCDA), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Tuesday.
He urged community leaders, donor agencies, public spirited individuals and others to join hands to revitalise the sector, adding that government could not do it alone.
Adindu said that the primary health care handled 65 per cent of our health care challenges, stressing that there was every need to look inwards.
According to him, if we are able to revitalise our primary health care, it will reduce the pressures on the secondary and tertiary levels.
He said that the primary health care is not what it used to be in the past.
According to Adindu, a lot of attention is currently being given to it.
He added that everybody had become aware of the role it is supposed to play if actually they want to achieve universal health coverage.
Adindu said, “To revitalise the sector in Abia for example, the agency will bring the necessary manpower and post them to the various health facilities.
“Government will make sure that we have the necessary drugs and essential equipment in the PHCs within the state.
“In the area of infrastructure, public spirited individuals and organisations can assist us with buildings and other things needed to function in the various localities.’’
“Most times people think that it is only the poor and the less privileged that should go there and access care.
“No, PHCs are is now for everyone because minor ailments such as headache, fever and others can be effectively handled by them.
“There is now more patronage of our facilities than it used to be in the past,” he said. (NAN)
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