IKECHI ELENWOKE

LAGOS – Hon. Mohammed Usman, Former member representing Makarfi-Kuban Federal Constituency, Kaduna State has applauded a Non- Governmental Organisation for Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) for the roles they are playing at growing the primary healthcare in the country.INDEPENDENT reports

He stated this at the organisations’ forum tagged, Regional Policy Dialogue on Revitalisation of Primary Healthcare which took Place in Lagos recently.

The vocal legislator expressed excitement over the doggedness of CISLAC at promoting the healthcare at the grassroots nationwide and encouraged them not to relent in their efforts.

Hon. (Dr) Bashiru Dawodu, currently representing Oshodi-Isolo constituency in the House of Representative, special guest at the occasion, also praising the organisation’s efforts, promised to help push bills that will advance the course of Primary Healthcare in the green chambers.

Dr Francis Ahanyido, a public health physician, in his presentation stated the urgent need for revitalization of the primary healthcare system. He pointed out that there is a correlation between healthy citizenry and wealthy nations.

He further stated that workable machinery such as comprehensive insurance scheme needed to be in place, a structure that protects everybody, both the rich and the poor. For example, if a street cleaner gets sick, she might not be able to pay for her treatment.

And even if she goes for a loan to treat herself or her child, paying back such loans would mean her entire family has to go without food and other needs for a very long period, he said, adding, “And therefore, it is very necessary to put in place a scheme that gives everybody protection.”

The Executive Director CISLAC, Auwal Ibrahim Musa, in his address stated that the event was aimed at providing enabling platform for legislators to interact and deepen discussions and proffering holistic solutions to the current trend and challenges confronting adequate accessible and effective primary health care system in the country zone, coupled with the need to revitalize the system for high impact and efficiency.

According to him, CISLAC had engaged relevant Committees on dialogue and conducted site visits to some health care facilities across the six geo-political zones to access the state of those facilities and make far reaching recommendations to inform legislative process towards improved qualitative basic health care service delivery to the people .