By Hassan Zaggi
The National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, has criticized State governments over the inefficiency of Primary Health Care (PHC) and Secondary Health care system across the country.
He bared his mind at the formal launch and disseminate of the revised National Health Promotion Policy 2019 and its ancillary Strategic Policy Documents, in Abuja.
He, therefore, called on the federal government to carry the State governments along in the implementation of the policy documents.
According to him: “It is not just about presenting or launching the documents, our governors must be carried along.
“As NUJ President, I have had the opportunity of going round the country and what we see in states is not encouraging.
“Our Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery system is in comatose and the secondary healthcare delivery system is practically parked up at the state level and that is why we put enormous pressure on the tertiary health care system.
“Therefore, it is important that we must activate this level of health care delivery so that they begin to work. That is the only way we are going to ensure the full implementation of the content of what we are lunching here today.”
The NUJ President, therefore, assured that the media in the country is committed discharge its roles, “the responsibility that has been entrusted in our hands, we will make sure we live up to expectation by taking this message to every nook and cranny of the country. “
Earlier, while launching the policy documents, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclosed that after the launch
Five important Health Promotion Strategic Policy documents, sub-national level launch and dissemination is to follow.
The Strategic Policy documents, he explained, include National Health Promotion Policy 2019, National Strategic Plan For Health Promotion 2020-2024, Knowledge Management Guideline For Health Promotion 2020-2024, Counseling Flip Chart on key house hold practices and Counseling flip chart on Family Planning/child birth spacing.
Speaking, the Senate Committee Chairman on Health, Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, vowed that the National Assembly will support the implementation of policy document.
“I must say that as legislators, the representative of the people, we must be committed to the health of our people. Health is very important. Without the people being healthy, they cannot participate in any governance process and without people being healthy, we will not be seen to be doing out work.
“I want to say that currently at the National Assembly, we have several bills that are being proposed which are relevant to health promotion. One of the bill is on sickle cell on how we can support and promote it. We have several other bills that seek to look at health promotion.
“I want to say that, the National Assembly is committed to supporting this policy as well all other legislation that will promote health.”
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