Board seeks community partnership in maintaining healthcare centres

THE FCT Primary Health Care Development Board has solicited the partnership of government and communities in the development and maintenance of healthcare centres in the six FCT area councils.

Dr Iwot Ndaeyo, the acting Executive Secretary of the board, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday, that the healthcare facilities at the councils should not be for government alone to maintain.

According to Ndaeyo, to achieve the goals of healthcare delivery, community and government resources must be merged.

He, therefore, called on individuals who had the capacity to assist the government, to do so.

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He said the idea of development and maintenance of healthcare centres must be tailored along with the yearnings of the people whom the facilities were meant to serve.

The acting executive secretary said that the council would always listen to people with sound input in the development of the councils’ healthcare centres.

According to Ndaeyo, this could be done through a resolution on the actual contribution of an individual’s plans by liaising with the chairman, who is a member of the legislative arm at the council level.

“People over time have not been re-orientated to what primary healthcare is all about; they still look at it as the government’s sole responsibility.

“You must not be a doctor; they do not know that as an individual, you have a role to play.

“Policymakers in the health sector should also know that primary healthcare is a democracy thing; it is by the people and for the people, and also a partnership between government and the people.

He called on health insurance agencies to key into the Federal Government’s drive and work together to achieve a functional healthcare system.

“Every ward in the state must have healthcare facilities,” Ndaeyo stressed.