The Bayelsa State government yesterday called on medical professionals to make health care accessible to everybody, especially the poor. Deputy Governor John Jonah urged the professionals to improve health care delivery in the country. He spoke when the leadership of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) visited him at the Government House, Yenagoa.
“I want you to come up with policies and ideas that will actually enhance the health care delivery system of the country considering our own local environment.
“I have always challenged transplanting of ideas from advanced countries to our own side. We are not there yet. Those are facts. But fortunately, I’m sure most of you are exposed to the areas that things happen”, he said.
Jonah lamented that most people die in the country because they could not afford medical services.
“ It is not easy for average Nigerians to go for major surgery”, he said.
The deputy governor said the state was implementing several health polices and programmes to enable the people access quality health care delivery, including a contributory health insurance scheme backed by law.
Jonah said the health sector was second to education in the scale of preference of the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration.
He applauded the association for choosing to hold its NEC meeting in Bayelsa and wished them success.
MDCAN’s National President Prof. Ngim E. Ngim said the association was in the state to hold its three-day National Executive Council meeting in Yenagoa.
Ngim, who teaches at the University of Calabar, lauded the achievements of the administration in the Health sector, and the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS).
He, however, urged the state to properly fund its College of Health Technology, Otuogidi, and provide equipment at Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri.
http://thenationonlineng.net/bayelsa-challenges-medical-experts-on-health-care-delivery/