Some residents of Bwari Area Council of the FCT have called on government at all levels to ensure improved medical services at health centres located within rural communities.
The residents made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja while commemorating International World Health Day (WHD).
This year’s WHD theme is ‘My Health, My Right.’
Mr. John Awoyi, youth leader of the Bwari Youth Forum, said that good health was paramount to any individual and, therefore, must be every administrator’s number one priority for its people.
According to him, this year’s theme is my health, my right, pointing the right of every individual, whether rich or poor, in the urban area or in the rural area, to access good health services.
“It is therefore important that our various leaders at all levels, from the Federal level to the local government authorities, ensure that the needs of the people in these areas are improved.
“This should be in the form of increased manpower at the primary health centres, medical equipment, access to drugs, refurbished facilities, and constant power supply, among other necessities.
“It is very important that those in rural communities receive these services because they are more prone to infections and diseases and deserve urgency in curbing most communicable diseases.”
Awoyi, while quoting reports by the World Health Organization (WHO), also said that it was sad to note that the right to health was unfortunately a threat to millions around the world and not Nigeria alone.
He, therefore, called on stakeholders in the country, with an emphasis on the health sector, to double their efforts towards ensuring that all hands were on deck to achieve healthy people.
Similarly, Mrs. Esther Bako, another resident, also called on the council’s administration to enhance services at designated primary health centres in the district.
Bako, who is also a medical practitioner, sought the council’s in-depth consideration towards providing work tools and more professional hands at the centres to help attend to the increasing populace.
She said that the economic challenges have had a lot of impact on a lot of people, thereby causing death, pain, hunger, and psychological distress among individuals and families, especially those in rural areas.
This, she added, might keep increasing if necessary measures were not put in place to address and attend to the challenges at hand.
Bako, while commending the council for significant progress in various immunisation exercises, urged for the enhancement of the skills of the health workers in the area for better service delivery.
NAN reports that Mr. John Gabaya, Chairman, Bwari Area Council, reiterated that his administration was dedicated to ensuring improved health management in all the communities of the council.
He had said that under the 2023 review, his administration had provided health care services to the grassroots in line with its mandate.
This, he explained, was especially with regards to the implementation of several rounds of national immunisation activities and programmes covering the whole council throughout the year.
He said it included the implementation of programmes for the control of the Lassa fever outbreak, cholera, and other gastroenteritis diseases in the council, and the impact has been huge and effective.
“It is our responsibility and the right of the people, and we are bent on ensuring that we provide healthy people within a healthy community and in society at large.”
Gabaya also said that his administration also implemented measles vaccination campaigns and maternal, newborn, and child health programmes across the district for the benefit of residents.
He added that hospital and clinical equipment were also supplied to some primary health centers, while adding that renovations at some were ongoing.
NAN also reports that World Health Day, as globally celebrated by WHO, is annually observed to raise awareness about global health issues and highlight the importance of well-being.
The 2024 theme placed emphasis on the fundamental human right to access quality health care, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water and clean air.
It also includes good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination.(NAN)
