Kwara flags off investment fund to PHCs

Kwara state government has flagged off an investment fund to deepen access to primary healthcare services in the state through Immunization Plus and Malaria Process by Accelerating and Transparency (IMPACT) project.

IMPACT is funded by the World Bank after the state paid $100,000 in counterpart funds. Each benefiting PHC is getting N4.6 million to upgrade primary healthcare infrastructure.

Speaking at the event in Ilorin on Tuesday, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq said the programme has underscored his administration’s focus to ensure universal health coverage for an average Kwara resident.

“One of the cardinal goals of our administration is to ensure universal health coverage for all Kwarans, irrespective of their location. This has guided all the strategic interventions we have made in the health sector.

“One of the early commitments our administration made is the Expression of Interest in the IMPACT Project by meeting all the necessary requirements, including the payment of a $100,000 counterpart fund.

“The idea is to enable our Primary Health Care Centres to have some level of financial autonomy and the capacity to optimally deliver basic health care services to the people.

“This (programme) is a continuation of the legacies of our administration. We have consistently been investing in the health sector, including the primary healthcare system through the renovation or construction of health facilities in several locations in the state and the recruitment of all cadres of health workers. We have equipped many of our health facilities with equipment this state never had before. We will not relent, especially now that the results have been quite impressive.”

Also speaking, Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, commended the administration for its strategic partnerships and investment in primary healthcare programmes to deliver quality healthcare services to the citizens.

Mulombo who spoke through the North Central Coordinator for WHO, Dr Asma’l Zeenat Kabir, said Kwara state was able to have the programme in place because of the leadership committee of the governor.

“I want to, on behalf of the representative of WHO, commend and congratulate the Kwara State Government for establishing the IMPACT project to improve access to universal health coverage,” she said.

She lauded Abdulrazaq for providing the enabling grounds for the WHO to deliver on its 2023 goals, which she said were meant to cover at least 3 billion people worldwide.

“WHO’s 2023 goal is a global goal that has the 3 billion live goals. The first is that WHO intends to reach 1 billion people to have access to universal health coverage. Of course, this is part of the way in which the WHO appreciated Kwara state.

“Another 1 billion people are going to become healthier. And 1 billion more people will get protected from health emergencies. This is in direct alignment with what the Kwara State Government has been doing.”

She called on the implementing agency to ensure that the project is effectively handled to achieve the set objectives.

Raji, in his remarks, said that the health sector under the present administration has been transformed to meet the needs of the populace, commending AbdulRazaq for his leadership qualities.

Elelu, on her part, said the administration has repositioned the health sector through prompt payments of counterpart funds, adequate investments in basic infrastructure, prompt payment of salaries of health workers, and their promotion, among other incentives that enable the state to stand shoulder high on health issues in the comity of states.

She said the agency will do everything within its power to ensure that the resources entrusted to its care are utilized for the common man and in line with the necessary guidelines.

Pharm. Hanifa Hamza, from NPHCDA, urged the state to ensure diligence and accountability, saying the two qualities will actually pay back.

AFENET’s representative, Dr Tinuke Ahmed, for her part, said the IMPACT project indicates that the government means well for its people and promised to work closely with the administration in the implementation stage to enable it to reap the full benefits of such investments.

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