By John Odhe
The Bayelsa State government says it is not relenting in its bid to provide standard health system to make life better for the citizenry.
The deputy governor, Mr. Peter Akpe, gave the assurance at separate meetings with a delegation of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Abuja, and the state Taskforce on Immunization and other development partners at his office in government house, Yenagoa.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, quoted the deputy governor as saying that the governor Douye Diri-led administration is taking measures, including putting in place a legislative framework to ensure sustainability of health projects and programmes in the state.
Akpe expressed hope that the state Health Sector Reform Bill when passed into law will address the issue of funding of health projects and other critical challenges affecting healthcare delivery in Bayelsa.
The deputy governor, who is the chairman of the State immunization taskforce, commended members of the taskforce, AFENET and other development partners for their efforts and support that enabled the state to achieve its current feat, particularly in the area of immunization.
He, however, urged them not to rest on their oars, stressing that the present administration was irrevocably committed to improving the maternal and child health indices of the state as well as strengthening ongoing partnerships on healthcare interventions.
His words: “We really have to continue working together to see how we can achieve greater and better results. I don’t want our state to come down from the height we have attained.
“My team and I will always be open to your counsel and any action you (AFENET) will want to shift to us as our area of responsibility; we will always try and see what we can do about it.
“I think government co-owning projects or initiatives such as this should not be an issue we should struggle with. I believe that with the team we have, we can work it out and make it effective and beneficial to our people.
“On the issue of legislative framework, I want to assure you that we are almost there. We are working on the state Health Sector Reform Bill, which when passed into law, I believe can address the concern you have raised here.
“It will take care of the issue of sustainability of funding and other challenges affecting healthcare delivery in the state.”
Also speaking, the commissioner for health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, disclosed that AFENET, which draws technical and financial support from the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention, had been supporting the state primary healthcare board since 2024.
According to the health commissioner, the group largely collaborated with the state in the roll-out and implementation of malaria vaccines, optimization of outreach sessions which culminated in the immunization of over 18,000 children across the state in three cycles.
Earlier in his remarks, the national coordinator of the African Field epidemiology network Mr. Saheed Gidado, acknowledged the state government’s achievements in healthcare delivery especially in the area of immunization.
While expressing AFENET’s readiness for continued collaboration, Gidado urged the state government to put in place a legislative framework to ensure sustainability for funding of the malaria vaccine optimization project and other health initiatives.
The Director, Disease Control and Immunization, Ministry of Health, Mr. Gbanaibolou Orukari and her Pharmaceutical Services counterpart, Ebikapaye Okoyen, also made presentations at the meeting.
