– Primary health care re-alignment will enhance efficiency – Seyuba

Primary health care re-alignment will enhance efficiency – Seyuba

Solwezi, February 27, 2013,  ZANIS —  Government says the realignment of primary health care services to the ministry of community development, mother and child health ministry will enhance efficiency in prevention and control of diseases in the country.

North Western province permanent secretary Augustine Seyuba said today that delivery of primary health services to communities is expected to improve following realignment.

Mr. Seyuba said this is because the new arrangement will achieve a holistic approach to dealing with health issues using community based structures to prevent and control the spread of diseases.

ZANIS reports that the Permanent Secretary said this  when he addressed the inaugural meeting of Friends of Solwezi, today.

He described the development as a think tank initiative that has been launched to spearhead projects aimed at modernizing Solwezi general hospital to improve service delivery.

The PS said although the health sector has been criticized in the past, most of this criticism is critical and needs attention to improve service delivery.

He said the Patriotic Front government is committed to improving the health delivery system because it realizes that good health is an essential prerequisite for national development.

To improve service delivery, government has increased the budgetary allocation to the health sector by 15 percent and is ensuring actual releases of the funds is done as provided in the Abuja protocols.

Another important measure taken by government is to maintain the removal of user fees, which has resulted in many people accessing health services for free, he said .  

Mr. Seyuba was speaking when he addressed the inaugural meeting of Friends of Solwezi, a think tank initiative that has been launched to spearhead projects aimed at modernizing Solwezi general hospital to improve service delivery.

And the permanent secretary has praised the provincial health staff in the province for taking an initiative to form a think tank aimed at transforming Solwezi general hospital in order to improve quality health delivery.

Mr. Seyuba said Friends of Solwezi is a good idea as it will target a cross section of society who will use their business acumen to fundraise for improving infrastructure, technology and human resource at the health facility.

The think tank, Friends of Solwezi, will be headed by Solwezi Municipal Council town clerk Ronald Daka, and it has drawn its membership from health professional staff and the business community, including First Quantum Minerals and Barrick Lumwana Mining.