No be small disagreement dey between di Ebonyi State government and some ogbonge health experts wey come from di state. Di State Commissioner for Informate, Hon. Orji Uchenna Orji bin komot a release wey he claim say Gov. Umahi don make health sector for di state dey kajad from primary health care, to General Hospital dem to di “best teaching hospital for Africa” wey im dey build for Uburu in Ohaozara LGA.
But two bodi-mata experts from di state, Dr. Laz Eze and Dr Nkata Chuku no gree with am at all. Dr. Eze, wey be di Convener of Make Our Hospital Work Campaign and di producer of Talking Health with Dr laz for AIT, write one long essay wey he reveal say di health sector for Ebonyi dey coma true true. He talk say all di doctors wey di govt employ no reach 15, nurses no reach 80, pharmacists no reach 2 and med lab workers no reach 40.
Dr. Chuku wey be oga for Health Systems Consult Limited (HSCL) advise govt make dem employ health workers with immediate alacrity give dem jinja to use dey work fro di primary health centres and general hospitals. He say na only am go make di teaching hospital function wella.
Click here to read di full post wey Dr Laz Eze make.
See Dr. Nkata Chuku post below, na big grammar he use write am o;
“Health and Education need 360 revamping that should go beyond putting up or renovating their buildings. Please note that it is still important to renovate all dilapidated primary and secondary health facilities and schools. There is a basic minimum level of infrastructure they need. The additional funds for the extra mile should be channeled into making them serve their purpose.
For health: we need adequate numbers of health care workers that are trained and motivated; clinical standards and job aids for the different cadres/levels to guide care givers; appropriate technology (point of care) that can be easily used and maintained by the capacity we can afford; water, power and security to enable round the clock services. If a primary health center does not have a nurse/midwife and power, how will they take safe deliveries at all hours?
Without investing in the people, we will not achieve destination status. Our people don’t go to India for the physical beauty of the hospitals. Some countries that are closer to us have even more elegant hospital structures. I did some of my post graduate studies in the University of London and most of their colleges we hear about are just a few buildings or part of buildings scattered across streets in between commercial and residential buildings that don’t belong to the university.
London School of Economics uses peacock theatre (a commercial movie type theatre) and rented hotel halls for lectures because they don’t have enough halls. Yet this is one of the most sought after and expensive schools on the planet. We have land in Ebonyi so we don’t need to copy the university of London single buildings, multi-location approach. I am putting these examples forward not to rubbish the much commendable structures we are putting up, but to make our leaders realize that it is neither the size, shape nor grandeur of the building that attracts the world to come for SERVICES. It is the quality of the services delivered within the structure.
We need to invest in content to create that “world class” or “best in class” quality. Content is about people, systems and processes. These are areas where we are currently not competing well (check human development index, ease of doing business and rule of law/social justice). The governor has done well in infrastructure, let’s encourage him to give similar strong attention to human capital development and Ebonyi will become the destination we all desire.
The teaching hospital in Uburu will be better utilized if Ebonyi has a strong primary and secondary health care system that tackles most of the common ailments our people die from. Those levels will save more lives, refer advanced cases to the teaching hospital while allowing the teaching hospital focus on cutting edge, real tertiary level care (if we invest in the personnel, technology, research and quality assurance systems). If the primary and secondary levels remain weak, treatment of typhoid, malaria and general ailments will crowd out specialist care.”
Nkata
