Boosting service delivery in FCT hospitals through SERVICOM

At last, the FCT health services secretariat has decided to take service delivery beyond mere rhetoric as it has tasked its medical personnel on service delivery social compact that SERVICOM is noted for. Writes ABDULLAHI MUHAMMAD.

Just recently, the Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) as well as SERVICOM unit in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) brainstormed on the necessity of improving services in public hospitals within the territory.

This is coming following the recent and constant upsurge in the population of the nation’s capital, Abuja. Investigation shows that the management said there is the need to ensure that adequate measures are put in place to improve and as well sustain health care service delivery in all the health facilities.

Driven by this force, top officials of secretariat met with SERVICOM officials to reappraise areas that needed urgent attention with a view to ensuring that everyone involved is united before achieving any meaningful result.

During the meeting that was facilitated by Mrs Olubunmi Olowookere, the deputy director and nodal officer for SERVICOM in the FCT, discussions were focused on how efficient services would be provided at all times to patients or those that seek for any form of medical attention in the nation’s hospitals, if certain understandings are considered.

Service delivery is our watchword – Abduraheem

The acting secretary of the secretariat who is also the director of administration and finance, Musa Abdulraheem, assured the SERVICOM officials that standard remains the secretariat’s focus.

He said as government officials, the acceptable service delivery is the bottom line. According to him, any service that is not timely and efficient the outcome would be failure.

“Whatever we are doing as government officials, the bottom line is service delivery and if you are delivering services that are not timely and efficient, certainly, the result would be failure,” he noted.

Abdulraheem urged the health officials to always remember that quality service delivery should be their watch-word.

“As service providers, it is our duty to always give the best; it is in giving your best that you will show patriotism. This also goes to show that you have passion for what you are doing. The quality of service you offer would also show that you want to leave behind lasting legacies.”

He reminded them of Nigeria’s founding fathers that gave their best for the country and the legacies that they left behind which are being enjoyed by all.

According to him, financial benefit should not be the ultimate consideration while providing services for the public, but said its quality and acceptability.

SERVICOM is all about professional delivery – Olowookere

According to Mrs Olowookere, efficient service delivery is the true proof of good governance.

“The proof of governance is that services are getting to the people. If there are policies, projects and programmes that are made and do not translate into satisfying the needs of the users, then the government has failed.”

Mrs Olowookere believes that if the services meant for people are not being enjoyed by them, it shows that the government officials saddled with the responsibility need to have a rethink about their relevance in service delivery.

According to her, SERVICOM is all about service delivery; not just providing it but ensuring that the services are efficiently provided to the people.

“Services should be provided with professionalism and the right attitude which also goes with passion; it goes beyond just doing our beat. This has to do with going the extra mile.”

She explained that service delivery should not be seen as coming to work in the morning and returning in the evening, but noted that government officials should think beyond just going to work from 8:00 am and leave by 4:00 pm.

The nodal officer called on FCT health secretariat officials to educate themselves by going for personal development and pushing out for the best.

She said in offering the services as government officials, there would not be commendation from those enjoying it. “We should not wait for people to commend us especially in the provision of health services which is an essential life part of the community.”

The director insisted that if the officials fail, there would be a total failure in the system.

“There are many indices that show that there is effective health sector in place. This starts from the time a patient comes into the hospital to register and collect a card to the waiting moment to see a doctor. There should be good approach to the person.”

In her further submissions, she concluded that acceptable services should be provided to patients at all times without minding the circumstances. The development, she said, would build public confidence in the territory’s health sector.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial SERVICOM team also called for effective service delivery in the territory in order to make the public feel the impact of the administration.

According to her, the FCT officials’ mandate is to ensure effective service delivery to the public in order to boost people’s confidence in government’s ability to provide basic services to citizens.

“We exist as government officials to provide services. If the people do not enjoy services, that means we have failed. The provision of services means going extra mile for the people.

“If we fail in service delivery, we have failed in many indices; service delivery is about ensuring efficiency and effectiveness.

“FCT Ministerial SERVICOM is responsible for spearheading service delivery in the FCTA; we also manage complaints. and Nigerians these days are enlightened and know their rights.

“We want to build a system that will make people happy,’’ she stressed.

Olowookere also called for openness in all sectors of the FCT workforce, particularly the health sector, adding that SERVICOM would not condone hidden charges. At the same time, she called for reactivation of SERVICOM units in the entire FCT workplaces and a charter that would spell out what is expected of every department in order to create room for better service.

The FCT nodal officer also called for standard training for health workers in the territory noting that it was a sector where majority of residents required its services.

Also, Abdulraheem commended the team for the visit and charged them not to relent in working with the secretariat. The director thereafter pledged to tackle all the issues raised by the team in line with the best practices.

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