Edo Set To Employ Personnel For Primary Health Centres

Edo State Government has concluded plans to employ hundreds of health personnel to man about 250 primary health care centres (PHC) spread through out the state, Dr. Edosa Richard Osaro, the Chairman of the Edo State House of Assembly Committee on Health has disclosed.

Fielding questions from journalists weekend in Benin, Dr. Osaro of the Labour Party (LP) explained that the initiative is part of the state government efforts at tackling the critical problem of primary health care among Edo people by making sure that out of the 500 PHCs in the state, at least 250 are effectively functioning.

The lawmaker said that permanent employment will be generated for qualified Edo people in the areas of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, laboratory science, cleaning, security among others.

He remarked that the state government places a lot of emphasis on Primary Health Care as it’s a major part of health delivery system in any nation being the very first point of contact which is supposed to be accessible to people at the grassroots, who are mainly low income earners.

Dr. Osaro said: “Presently, the government is in the process of employing people in the different PHC- doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, cleaners and all that. I am not too sure of the figure of persons to be employed but like I said, 250 is a large number if you consider the number of persons that’ll be provided jobs for.”

Few months after the proclamation of the House of Assembly by Governor Godwin Obaseki, Dr. Osaro said that the lawmakers have been able to pass 23 people oriented resolutions and bills in the first quarter, some of which are at different stages.

Against the backdrop of the deplorable state of federal roads in the state, the legislator disclosed that the Edo State boss of the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) was summoned to the House to explain to them why the federal government refused to rehabilitate federal roads in the state.

He lamented: “It’s a very serious matter and we had to make it a matter of serious public concern. The FERMA boss had to come to the House to explain to us the reason for the deplorable state of federal roads in Edo State, almost cutting it off from other states that we do business with.”

He continued: “Federal roads are very important to the economy of the country. People coming from the East, West, North and the Niger Delta pass through Edo State. Without good roads, they cannot access these roads and as such business and commerce suffer.”

Dr. Osaro explained that even though the FERMA official explained to them the challenges he presently face, the lawmakers demanded that palliative measures be done, notwithstanding the fact that they were told that contracts have been awarded but that nothing could be done until after the rains.