Edo: Obaseki pledges to strengthen healthcare, recommits to Universal Health Coverage
By Isaac Olamikan
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has said his government is building a strong, equitable and resilient healthcare system to guarantee every Edo resident access to quality and affordable health services.
The Governor, in a statement to commemorate this year’s International Universal Health Coverage Day, said his administration will sustain ongoing reforms in the health sector to ensure the attainment of Universal Health Coverage for all residents.
With the theme: “Leave No One’s Health Behind: Invest in Health Systems for All,” Obaseki said his administration has mapped out plans to consolidate on the gains made on strengthening system-wide reforms in the health sector, adding, “This will further bolster our commitment to the provision of quality, accessible and affordable healthcare to all residents of our state, irrespective of financial status, academic qualification or background.”
According to him, “If we are to reach our goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030, we must sustain investments in the health sector, ensuring that we strengthen our health systems to become stronger and more resilient.
“This is why we have set money aside in 2022 to consolidate on the gains made on strengthening system-wide reforms in the health sector, which includes the purchase of new medical equipment, upgrade of 12 medical facilities, improvement of revenue collection mechanism, expansion of primary healthcare and health insurance scheme to rural and hard-to-reach communities.”
Enumerating some of his government’s achievements in the sector, the Governor noted, “We have built a more resilient system involving all relevant stakeholders in the Edo State Healthcare system to respond to challenges faced with the outbreak of the COVID-19 crises.
“With the health insurance scheme now operational, we are building a superstructure to provide a strong capital base for the sustenance of the healthcare system, while providing our people with a more democratised system of accessing quality and affordable healthcare.
“We have completed construction and have secured the accreditation of the world-class Edo State College of Nursing Sciences, a model tertiary education institution that has been primed to produce top-of-the-range health personnel,” the Governor added.
