BY KAYODE ANIMASAUN
……..As 30 PS get SUV Jeeps……..
The Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), Dr Francis Akanbiemu has been recognized by the state government with an award of excellence for his exemplary service towards the development of the health sector in the state.
Dr Akanbiemu received the award at the 2023 Public Service Week grand finale held at the International Culture and Event Centre, Akure, the state capital.
Presenting the Award, the state Head of Service, Mr Kayode Ogundele, commended the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency, SPHCDA, under the leadership of Dr Akanbiemu for its meritorious service, especially the recent national award won by the state through the Agency.
Ondo state had earlier this year emerged the winner of the Primary Health Care (PHC) Leadership Challenge Fund, a flagship programme of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) with the sum of $500,000, cash prize for coming first in the challenge in the south west.
The programme is aimed at revamping the Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) policy in the country by maximising the commitment of state governors to promoting a progressive increase in PHC funding, and ensuring all primary healthcare centres have the requisite human resource capacity.
The head of service urged the agency to intensify efforts towards the development of the health sector.
Receiving the state Award, Dr Akanbiemu thanked Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his commitment to ensuring that the state primary health care became the best in Nigeria.
Dr Akanbiemu said, “ I feel great and also to thank Mr Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for creating the enabling environment because the assessment that made us to win the national award was based on the resources available. If he did not provide the resources for us to perform our duties, we won’t get to where we are today.
“He has always been supportive and there is no time we call on him for any need that he ever turned us down.
“Even this month, we did a programme on national immunisation plus days, and the result came three days ago, we still scored 100 percent.
“This year alone we have won five awards apart from this leadership award. We came first in the integrated measles campaign, we came first in outbreak response (One and Two), so we have been successful in the sector and that is because the state governor has been supportive.”
At the Event, The Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, presented new SUV cars to 30 Permanent Secretaries in the state, restating that his commitment to the welfare of workers remains a top priority for his administration.
Represented by Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Oladunni Odu, the governor said, ” In our resolve towards qualitative, improved and accessible healthcare system for public servants, this administration launched the Orange Health Care Insurance Scheme to create a sustainable funding mechanism that lowers financial barrier to healthcare of public servants.”