Assembly to strengthen Primary Health Centres

Mr

Olulade told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday that the step was necessary to strengthen health care delivery at primary level.

``I want to assure you that this current government is committed to improving health services for all and sundry.

``We are also looking at ways to strengthen the capacity of the services at the primary health centres by equipping them adequately.

``The committee has concluded its oversights to all the state's General Hospitals, soon we will move to all primary health centres to know their state and strengthen them for better services,’’ he said.

Olulade (APC-Epe II) said that the oversight would help the committee to know how the health care services at the centres could meet the world standard.

According to him, no doubt, the state does not have enough primary health centres compared with its population; but efforts are being made to create more and enhance their performance.

He urged residents to always make use of the state primary health centres as the first point of contact for whosoever was seeking health service.

``We will do everything within our reach to ensure we educate our people more on the use of primary health care in order to strengthen our referral policy.

``A lot of people who need health care just wake up and move to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital or others tertiary health care providers without recourse to primary health centres.

``We need to continue to sensitise the public, we need to bring to the fore the importance of making use of the primary health centres.

``The referral procedure is being breached.

``Some cases that should ordinarily be handled at the primary are move to secondary while some don't even wait at the secondary but move to the teaching hospitals.’’

He said that the government would commence sensitisation of the strength of the primary health centre and cases they could handled.

Olulade also said that the committee would provide legislative framework and machinery to further enhance the health care delivery at the centres.