From Mba Nnenna- Abakaliki
A Non Governmental Organization which is implementing USAID Palladium Scale project in collaboration with Nigerian Resource Partners (NRPs), have called Stakeholders on the need to support budget allocation, in improving quality health care service delivery in Ebonyi state.
The group, “Life Transformation for Africa Initiative(LIFT4AFRICA)” made the call during a meeting with Stakeholders of various MDAs in Abakaliki, the state capital.
In a welcome address, the group’s program officer, Mr Ezeani Chiemezie expressed concern over the poor state of most healthcare facilities in Nigeria due to lack of funds. According to him, their findings showed that most healthcare facilities were lacking medical supplies needed for them to function at optimal level. “And that’s why we as partners to USAID, we came up with a plan to use what we call, Integrated Supportive Supervision (ISS) to improve the healthcare service delivery in the country.”
Ezeani while stating that ISS is a framework or template in form of a software used to look at what and what is obtainable for any healthcare facility to operate optimally in the state/country at large, however called for the creation of a separate budget line by the state government, exclusively for Integrated Supportive Supervision.
Reacting, the Hon. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekuma Moses Ikenna, represented by Dr. Nwali Okata James, Chief Executive/Provincial Administrator, Ebonyi state Hospital Management Board, said Integrated Supportive Supervision is the key to ensuring sound healthcare system for Ebonyians, adding that the time is apt for the implementing partners to come and help the state in achieving this goal.
Speaking, the Commissioner who emphasized that it is the business of every Ebonyian in sustaining the ISS project, said multinational companies like; DSTv, MTN, Glo network and others operating in Ebonyi state will have to contribute their quota in sustaining healthcare delivery in the state.
Adding her voice, Director of planning, state Ministry of Health, Mrs Adanna Ugboke while commending support from NGOs/private investors in sustaining quality healthcare, urged the state government to make themselves trustworthy especially in utilization of the basket fund.
She said, “Those NGOs or private investors they will be bringing in, its not about saying that its their Corporate responsibility but they need to know that the money they are going to put to the table to drive health intervention will be used judiciously, Its a trust issue. Nobody wants to invest their money where they’re not sure that the money they bring to the table will be actually spent on what is targeted at,” Ugboke added.
