Governments all over the world are always seeking for ways and measures to improving the health services of its citizenry.

Nigeria and Rivers State in particular, were not left out in this trend, no wonder the National Health Bill was introduced and subsequently passed into law.

In time past, Nigeria’s healthcare was left primarily in the hands of herbalists (medicine men), now called traditional medicine practitioners, who prepared medicines from herbs, roots and tree barks.

To be fair to these traditional medicine practitioners, some of their preparations were  believed to be effective, particularly the one popularly called “acum-shurrup”,  made from a plant locally called “dogoyaro”, (neern plant), in the treatment of malaria. People had relief from malaria attacks when “acum-shurrup” is taken and it is still been used by some die-heard “old schools”. But their methods are unsafe, crude, unhygienic, and may also be the primary cause of resistant talciparum strains (malaria causing organisms).

According to experts, the commonest diseases affecting the health of Nigerians include malaria, hepatitis, typhoid, yellow fever, diphtheria, diabetes and tetanus.

But with the advent of modern technology and breakthroughs in medicine science, treatment, management and control of diseases are much easier, better, safer and more effective.

Healthcare services in Nigeria, is better equipped to handle most types of medicine challenges and the system is in three tiers, primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems.

Adequate healthcare delivery is so important that the United Nations in its declaration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in September 2011, gave the top shot to healthcare by dedicating three out of the eight goals to improving health of the people

In Rivers State, the zeal to provide adequate healthcare for the citizenry received prompt attention as the state governor, Rt Hon chibuike Rotimi Amaechi demonstrated when he came on board, in October 2007 and stated categorically that the policy objective on healthcare is to provide integrated healthcare services and adored on efficient primary healthcare delivery.

To execute this plan, the state government embarked on a number of projects some of which include the construction 160 Primary Health Centres (PHC) as a step towards rebuilding the entire health care system.

The completion, furnishing/equipping and handover of 60 of these PHCs to 60 communities, last year was indeed a first step towards transforming the health care delivery system in the state.

Today, according to information from the office of the state commissioner for health, Dr Sampson Parker, 120 of the 160 PHCs have be completed and furnished, and ready to be handed over to communities.

Dr Parker disclosed at the handover of the first 60 PHCs, that government decided on this massive campaign against poor and inadequate health care delivery due to revelations by health indicators that about 1,000,000, Nigerian children die before their fifth birthday and 52,900, Nigerian women die from pregnancy related complications annually. This trend, the government has undertaken to reverse, he added.

He also stated that the health centers were handed over to community leaders, whom he described as gate keepers to engender community support, participation and ownership of the facilities.

The Primary Health Care Scheme also ensures adequate referral policy.

To support the Primary health care scheme, which is a prerequisite to the success of the secondary and tertiary health care systems, an auto-disable syringe factory first of its kind in Africa, was acquired by the state government to reduce the spread of injection transmittable diseases and discourage injection reuse.

Secretary of Pan African Health Foundation, technical partners of the factory, Mr Amanye Wokoma said the factory has capacity to produce 1 billion  syringes perday and currently produces five and two milliliter syringes. He said the factory would also in future produce intravenous fluids and other medical consumables.

The Free Medical Care Programme (FMCP) is another trail in the path to a successful health care delivery. The programme, which started in 2000, was given impetus when the present administration took over. The scope was expanded to and more centres including all the Primary Health Care (PHCs) in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state. The programmes offers free treatment including overseas referrals to persons who are 60 years and above and six years and below.

In addition, the government established the central medical stores, which ran a drug revolving fund account. The drugs are purchased and sold at a very minimal cost to patient. The drugs are absolutely free under the proposed new free medical care programme (FMCP), where healthcare services are to be given free to all categories of persons. To enhance this programmes, more fund has be allocated to the health sector, which now stands at N17 billion about 15 percent of the state’s 2011 budget, which also fulfills the MDGs recommendation.

The state plans to establish an ultra-modern drug manufacturing plant at Central Medical Stores (CMS) and to meet the drug needs of the state, government has purchased drugs to combat the most pressing health challenge, malaria, hepatitis and HIV/AIDs.

In the roll malaria programme, government has taken the “fight to the levels backyard”, so to speak as millions of long lasting insecticide Nets (LLINs) and thousands of doses of anternisimi-based combination therapy and distributed free to residents in the state.

Also plans are underway to build a Bio-larvicidal plant another first in this part of the world in the state where Bio larvicide’s are expected to be produced while area spraying of larvicides as well as indoor residual spraying of homes.

The vision of the Amaechi-led administration is enshrined in the commitment to providing effective, efficient improved and accessible health care services.

To this end, secondary health institutions, being the generate hospitals are being renovated and re-equiped to handle referrals from the PHCs.

The Brathwaitte Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), was also remodeled and retooled to a tertiary health standard. Niger Hospital, now Kelsey Harrison Hospital and the Dental Maxilotional Hospital also received facelifts. Justice Adolphus Karibi-whyte Hospital, a specialist hospital   expected to discourage seeking medical help abroad and a mother and child hospital, Burns and Trauma centres are projects on the drawing board.

The state emergency medical services units, is worthy of mention. The service, which originally started in the previous administration, had only eight functional ambulances.

Since them more ambulance including marine ambulances have been added to the unit, which has been upgraded to a central ambulance control unit where all the ambulances are kept under a controlling unit and dispatched as the need arises.

To ensure the sustainability of its health programmes, the state government introduced a social services level which has been passed into law by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

So far, about N18.3 billion has been spent on the construction, renovation and retooling of health facilities in the state while N075.5 million has been spent on free medicals.

Dr. A Okuyagu, Director, Primary Health Care, Rivers State Ministry of Health, remarked, that “the true wealth of the people is the good health of the people, hence the wealthiest people are the healthiest people”.

The new Primary Health Care Policy of the state is surely a step to turn around the fortune of the people. It is hinged on wide consultation and input by stakeholders.

The fact that this is backed by a legislative act is an indication of its sustainability.

Tonye Nria-Dappa