Onyemelukwe Promises To Revamp Muribund 629 Primary Healthcares In Anambra
Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwe, a governorship aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2021 Anambra says she will adopt the bottom-up approach to tackling the challenges in the health sector if elected.
Onyemelukwe said this in a chat with newsmen on the sideline of a multi-stakeholders consultative meeting of the party ahead of their June 26 primaries in Abuja.
She said in spite the modest efforts of successive administrations, Anambra remained challenged in the healthcare service delivery sector
“Our plan is to provide the 629 primary healthcare centres, health clinics and health posts across Anambra State with water and basic sanitation, adequate staffing, decent remuneration, beddings, nets and healthcare consumables.
“We also intend to gradually, dependent on available resources and competing priorities, pursue a phased closure of the infrastructure gap that exist at these PHCs,” she said.
Onyemelukwe said the pressure on secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions will be reduced if PHCs are fixed and supported to regain the confidence of the citizens to approach them for their basic healthcare needs.
The former Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo also said the state’s infant and maternal mortality rates, and life expectancy will be improved if her bottom-up public health policy is vigorously implemented.
Furthermore, Onyemelukwe said her government will support the state’s health insurance scheme to broaden its subscriber base.
“We will target and enroll those in the organised private sector and employ instruments like tax rebates and other incentives to bring this specific corporate user group in.
“Once they are in, the system can reach out to capture the undeserved in the informal sector,” she said.
The frontline aspirant expressed the readiness of her administration to continue and institutionalise periodic subventions from the state government to qualifying faith-based and other private healthcare service providers.
According to her, healthcare service delivery is a critical component of our #RESTOREAnambra plan. You have my assurances, we will vigorously pursue people-oriented healthcare programmes if given the opportunity.
