World Malaria Day: Funds from donor agencies would be judiciously used ―Dickson

THE Bayelsa State Government has assured development partners in the health sector of its commitment to proper utilization of funds in implementing various programmes aimed at tackling the health needs of the people.

Governor Seriake Dickson who gave the assurance on Tuesday while flagging off the 2017 World Malaria Day in Yenagoa, said his administration was re positioning the primary healthcare delivery system through various means including the provision of critical health infrastructure in every nook and cranny of the state.

Represented by his deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Retd), the Governor noted that Bayelsa has already adopted the Federal Government policy of “One Functional Health Facility Per electoral Ward” with a view to making healthcare more accessible and affordable to the people.

While expressing concern over dwindling donor presence and funding support, he said government has set up a global partnership and development committee to improve the external resource funding base of the state and effective management of donor funds.

Apart from provision of critical health facilities at the state capital and headquarters of the various local government areas, the Governor maintained that the state health insurance service scheme, which is being reactivated, will soon come on stream.

Dickson also disclosed that his administration would soon establish a State Primary Health Care Development Board to properly organise the sub-sector to effectively tackle malaria and other tropical diseases.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Prof Ebitimitula Etebu emphasized the need for more investments in malaria prevention and new tools, pointing out that elimination of the scourge will contribute to the achievement of “other Sustainable Development Goals, such as improving maternal and child health”.

Making reference to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, Prof Etebu however noted that prevention scale-up is yielding results as many countries with ongoing malaria transmission have reduced their disease burden significantly.

Reeling out the statistics, the State Coordinator of WHO, Dr Richard Koko, who expressed appreciation to the state government for its supportive role, said the prevalence of Malaria among children in Bayelsa reduced from 36% in 2010 to 31% in 2015.

High point of the event was the presentation of malaria drugs and equipment by the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah to health officers that represented the various local government areas at the flag-off ceremony.