Providing healthcare services for Benue people is my priority – Gov Ortom

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Tuesday, said one of the top priorities of his administration is to guarantee good health for the people of the State.

The governor made the assertion at the commissioning of a permanent office complex of the State Primary Health Care Board, SPHCB, Makurdi.

He noted that health is wealth, hence the resolve to make it one of the five pillars of his administration, which also informed the establishment of SPHCB in 2015 at the inception of his government.

According to the Governor, since establishment, he had continued to monitor and support SPHCB to ensure that health service delivery to the grassroots is optimised.

He said the SPHCB and the Benue State Health Insurance Agency are working in synergy to ensure Universal Health Coverage, UHC in the state.

Governor Ortom said disbursement of funds to eligible primary health care facilities in the state and the enrollment of the most vulnerable for easy access to service delivery would soon commence across the state.

The Governor who promised to look into demands by the SPHCB urged the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as relevant agencies to ensure close synergy with SPHCB for optimal performance.

Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Joseph Ngbea in an address said the SPHCB was established to provide effective and affordable health care services for people in the state.

Chairman SPHCB, Mrs Comfort Agogo and the Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Bem Ageda while expressing delight at the edifice, appealed for the provision of Cold vans, working cold rooms, utility vehicles and conference halls for the board as well as the recruitment of more health workers among others.