The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it will recruit 120 health personnel and 90 volunteers to boost healthcare delivery in Abuja.
The Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday that the 90 volunteers would be engaged under the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).
Mohammed said most of the volunteers had over five years experience in their various disciplines.
He said the personnel would be deployed to serve in the existing 12 general hospitals and 215 primary healthcare centres in the FCT.
“The 215 are supposed to be managed by the area councils out of these only 202 had one or two staff.
“Only 15 per cent of these centres have adequate water electricity waste disposal facility, adequate staff and access road,” he said.
Mohammed said that only 27 per cent of healthcare facilities were working in the FCT by 2013 due to lack of adequate funding by the area councils and the FCT.
Besides, he said lack of adequate legislative backing by the National Assembly (NASS) was affecting the smooth operation of the board, which was established by the FCT administration.
According to him, the board is expected to be covered by the National Health Bill pending before the NASS to enable it benefit from the National Health Fund to boost healthcare delivery in the FCT.
“The bill, if passed into law, will enable the board to draw funds from the federation account monthly which shared between the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and National Primary Healthcare Development Agency,” Mohammed said.
This notwithstanding, he pledged that the board would do everything possible to provide quality healthcare services in the FCT.
The scribe also promised that the board would create demand through public enlightenment on the existence of such services and their locations.
“Basic treatment of malaria, diarrhoea, pneumonia and even delivery can be done at these centres, except complex ones, which would help in reducing congestion in general hospitals and even private clinics.
“Most of these centres were created to see, treat malaria and in some complex cases refer patients,” he said.
Mohammed said the board is partnering Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and Department of Public Health to ensure effective control of indiscriminate disposal of wastes and open defecation in Abuja. (NAN)
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