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Govt urged to improve primary healthcare

By Paul Adunwoke
15 May 2016   |   3:44 am
If Nigeria would raise more infrastructures to improve primary healthcare, it would go a long way in reducing the rate of maternal and newborn baby mortality.
Alimosho Community members receiving free malaria treatment powered by Westfield Development Initiative in Lagos…recently.

Alimosho Community members receiving free malaria treatment powered by Westfield Development Initiative in Lagos…recently.

If Nigeria would raise more infrastructures to improve primary healthcare, it would go a long way in reducing the rate of maternal and newborn baby mortality.

These were the issues that took the front burner at Review Meeting with Journalists on Reproductive Maternal Newborn and Child Health, organised by Development Communications (DevComs), held recently, in Lagos.

The meeting featured Journalists from different media houses, who also discussed challenges and way forward for effective reporting on healthcare service.

Programme Officer, DevComs Abiodun Owo, noted that improving primary healthcare is the collective responsibility for both government and individuals.

She stated that if government can invest more in primary healthcare, it would reduce malaria, fever and diarrhea cases recorded.

Owo said: “This would lessen the burden of teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Health Centres. Government needs to employ more doctors and nurses including midwives to ensure improvement in primary healthcare. Human resources in healthcare need training for capacity building among the healthcare workers.”

She said there is need for drugs to be available because on several occasions mothers have complained that there could not get prescribed drugs.

Health Communication Consultant, Mr. Bolaji Adepegba, stressed that media organisations need to take health reporting seriously.

There is need for researches and development for more knowledge and information because maternal and child healthcare is critical report.

Through effective reporting, journalists can change attitude of doctors and nurses. In Nigeria we few medical doctors serving over 180 millions people in Nigeria. Government should fund higher institutions graduate more doctors every year”.

“There is need for government to provide more ambulances in the hospitals for effective logistics and quick response. We do not have enough ambulances in hospitals including the ambulances in highways they are disappearing”.

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