Jigawa State Government says it will not allow the local Governments fiscal autonomy to affect the quality of the state health care delivery.
This is according to the state Deputy Governor Malam Umar Namadi at a Public Policy Dialogue on health, organised by the Jigawa Human Capital Development Initiative (JG-HCD) supported by PERL, held at Manpower Development Institute, Dutse the state capital.
During a policy dialogue to improve Basic Health Services in the state, issues that affect the effective service delivery of Primary Health care facilities due to autonomy were raised
Issues such as lack of human resources, maintenance, and lack of drugs in some hospitals under the state health insurance were identified.
Responding to the challenges, the state Deputy Governor said improving the health status of Jigawa citizens was the top priority of the administration.
“I think there is no point you build a hospital, provide staff, facilities and no plans for the maintenance of the hospital.
“Before the local Governments autonomy, we had a policy on ground that the state ministry of health has a revolving fund of N10 million used to maintain the Primary Health care facilities.
“Local Government autonomy caused that to be suspended, we will therefore look at it critically because the issue of health is everyone’s business, the local Government autonomy I am sure will not be allowed to affect this administration’s drive to provide quality health to its citizens”
Namadi added that human resources for health is another area that is critical to the implementation of health policies and agenda.
He said some local Governments are experiencing shortages of manpower in their primary health care facilities due to the local Governments’ autonomy.
According to him ”The state government is also working to complement the local Governments by paying 40% salaries of the local government’s health workers and transfer the salary and administration to the primary health care development agency to ensure equitable distribution of manpower”
The Deputy Governor, however, assured of the administration’s readiness to ensure it gives the health Sector the attention it deserves.
