Experts challenge Ambode on pro-poor health initiatives

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State

Medical experts in Lagos State‎ have called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to ensure that pro-poor health services for common health problems initiated by the Partnership for Transforming Health Systems II (PATHS2) are sustained.

The experts who also also lauded the Lagos State government for trailblazing efficient health service delivery in the country, said successive administration in the state had been able to implement one reform or the other, which according to them, distinguished the state health service delivery from other states in the country.

Speaking at the symbolic handing over ceremony of the PATH II to the Lagos State government, Dr Ibironke Dada described PATH II as International Development (DfID)-funded project in Nigeria responsible for facilitating the efficient and effective use of Nigeria’s own resources to attain the MDGs by improving the planning, financing, and delivery of sustainable health service.

“I believe that Lagos health sector is brink of series of reforms. The state’s health sector has been improving from the administration of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in 1999. The continuity of the leadership has yielded positive result. The continuity of leadership of the state’s health sector has also helped in the improvement of the health sector through access to quality health delivery,” she said.

She said that the interventions had targeted federal, state and local governments as well as civil society organisations to ensure that Nigeria was making steady progress towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 (reduce child mortality) and 5 (improve maternal health).

Chairman of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioner of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, Dr Tunji Akintade urged the state to focus on improving the quality health delivery service of the Primary Health Sector.

He said the traditional birth attendance must also be put into consideration in the reforms.

Akintade stated that the PATH II had been able to open a lot of prospects in the health service delivery, saying maternal mortality would be reduced if the government paid adequate attention to Primary Health Centres.