The Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Primary Healthcare Board has harped on the need for robust collaboration with Local Government Council Chairmen in the State to achieve sound and unequalled healthcare service delivery to the Citizens of Plateau State especially those in rural areas who have limited access to quality healthcare services.

He made this known during a meeting convened by the Plateau State Primary Healthcare Board with the Seventeen Local Government Council Chairmen on Tuesday 12th March, 2024 at Crest Hotel Hall Jos, the Plateau State Capital.
He hinted that Primary Healthcare is the Cornerstone of Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria and declared that the Board will not fail in its core mandate of ensuring improved healthcare service delivery by effectively maintaining and coordinating all the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in the State.
According to him, the Board will deploy improved Service delivery using the Community-centric approach and also increase access by the Citizens of the State.

He decried the human resource deficit being experienced in the State over the Years and called for urgent steps to be taken to address the situation in order to achieve the vision of the present administration of Governor Caleb Mutfwang which is having a healthier population. He said the Primary Heathcare Centres across the State had over 13,000 staff in the past but today can only boast of 3,000 which is not good for the attainment of improved healthcare services.
According to him, the State Primary Healthcare Board is working assiduously to achieve the Primary Healthcare Under One Roof (PHCUOR) which is aimed at having a comprehensive and integrated approach to healthcare delivery that consolidates all healthcare services under one management structure at the local government level hence the need to partner and synergize with the Local Government Council Chairmen to achieve that feat for the collective good of the People at the third-tier of government.
In his words “the aim is to streamline and strengthen healthcare services, making them more accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of communities”

He also outlined some of the challenges faced by the Primary Heathcare to include the governance system in the Country being marked by fragmentation leading to dissatisfaction and hindrance in the effective delivery of primary healthcare, multiple administrative frameworks at the State and Local Government Area level result in overlapping responsibilities contributing to the challenges faced in the Primary Heathcare delivery system which he said has undermined the efforts of the State Primary Healthcare Board to provide high-quality, efficient and equitable healthcare services at the primary level that are cost effective. He decried how that has led to poor health indices in the State which the government is not resting on its oars to ensure they are addressed.

Speaking at the engagement, the Plateau State Chairman of All Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) and Transition Implementation Committee Chairman of Wase Local Government Council (LGC), Hon. Hamisu Anani represented by the Deputy Chairman, Hon. Peter Vwang-Dung the Transition Implementation Committee Chairman of Jos South LGC lauded the initiative and said the Chairmen will accord the Board the needed support to succeed in achieving improved health which he said in turn would translate to a more productive population.

Director General of the Plateau State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (PLASCHEMA), Dr. Agabus Manasseh, Permanent Secretary Plateau State Ministry of Health, representative of World Health Organisation (WHO) and other Health Experts were also in attendance and promised to give the board the needed support.

The meeting featured presentation on Performance and challenges of Primary Healthcare Centres, Health Insurance and Primary Healthcare Under One Roof by Health Professionals.

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Dr. Raymond Juryit Engages Council Chairmen, Promises Improved Healthcare Services in Plateau State