Delta State Governor and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vice Presidential Candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, commended the management of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) for the donation of hard and soft healthcare equipment to 286 Primary Health Care Centres across the State.

Okowa, who commissioned the multimillion naira equipment in Asaba, the state capital, said the health facilities would reduce diseases and “tackle emerging and reemerging of health challenges in our communities.”

The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Patrick Ukah, described primary healthcare facilities as the strength and operational strategy of government to achieve universal healthcare, both in the state and in the country.

“I acknowledge what DESOPADEC is doing today. If you look at most statements the government has made in the areas of healthcare, our focus is on how we can always reduce our health challenges in this country and to focus strongly on primary healthcare and that is what the Commission has done.

“These equipment we are seeing here is not only going to help healthcare delivery, it is going to motivate the councils to show more interest in bringing healthcare coverage to our people,” he said.

He urged council authorities to put the facilities to ultimate use for the benefit of the people, assuring them that the council has good leadership and will do the needful.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Chief Askia Ogieh, said the equipment was donated to ensure that Deltans, wherever they are, should access health care at close proximity.

“The items we are presenting today cover various needs of a primary healthcare centres: from front office to consulting rooms, wards, dispensaries, laboratories, pharmacies, management offices and other critical health delivery requirements for the unhindered operation of all the 286 centres and the delivery of healthcare services across the state,” he explained.

According to Ogieh, the equipment also covers essential needs for effective and efficient delivery of primary health services in the 286 Primary Health Care facilities across the state for the benefit of citizens.