Nigeria’s Health Sector At A Standstill – Okorocha

Rochas OkorochaGovernor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said that Nigeria’s health sector seems to be at a standstill as the three major health-related Millennium Development Goals have not been met.

Okorocha spoke on Monday at the third Progressive Governance Lecture series with the theme; ‘Dealing with the challenge of Building a Physically Healthy Nation through Preventive, Protective and Innovative Medicare’, in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

Okorocha, who is the chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum, identified the health-related MDGs as reduction in infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate and the occurrence of HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.

He explained that the challenge the country was facing could be attributed to the dearth of preventive system, adding that the Nigerian health sector has been a source of concern in spite of efforts made to improve it.

The governor noted that the focus of the lecture series was to address pressing economic and social issues confronting the nation.

Assuring that healthcare facilities will be made available in the country when the All Progressives Congress wins the 2015 presidential election, Okorocha explained that this would stop Nigerians from traveling abroad to seek medical treatment.

He said, “The Nigerian healthcare sector seems to be at a standstill. As it is, the three health-related Millennium Development Goals of reductions in infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, and the occurrence of HIV, malaria and tuberculosis have not been met.

“We cannot afford to take each problem area one after the other, that will be time consuming. In truth, a lot of the difficulty we face could be attributed to the dearth in a preventive system.

“I believe our presence here is reflective of the commitment of all APC states to the provision of the best health care services on the African continent.

“When we take over the Federal Government in 2015, we will ensure that Nigerians no longer need to travel abroad for healthcare because the best and most efficient healthcare facilities will be built in Nigeria”.

Also speaking, the Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, affirmed the outbreak of three new Ebola cases in his state and added that affected persons had been isolated at the temporary quarantine centre in Oduoha, Emohua Local Government Area.

He said, “We have asked those who have symptoms to also come to us. About three persons who have been confirmed with the Ebola virus infection are now receiving medical treatment at the temporary isolation centre, Oduoha in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

“The preventive and protective measures my administration has adopted is tracking and tracing of the Ebola victims, and we are very serious about it”.