The executive-Secretary of Bayelsa state primary health care board, Dr. Bekesu Amakepreye Martins, has expressed gratitude to the state Governor Douye Diri for releasing part of the state counterpart funds for the board.
He commended the governor for placing priority on the health sector.
Speaking in Yenagoa, Martins stated that even though the Coronavirus has impacted adversely on governance world over, the first 100 days in office of Governor Diri has seen timely approvals and releases of funds for the running of the board.
As a result of the provision of the funds, the administrative heads and staff members of the board are now putting in their very best on delivering on the mandate given to the board.
Dr.Martins gave details of the funds so far approved and released by the Governor within his first 100 days in office as funds for the National immunization plus days ( NIPD), funds for the procurement of commodities and logistics to implement integrated medical outreach programme (IMOP).
Others released by the Governor within his first 100 days in office according to the executive Secretary include funds for the training of front line health care providers under the primary health care for training on COVID-19 preparedness and response.
He said that outside these financial releases, the Governor has also demonstrated his magnanimity to the board like his predecessor under whose administration the board was established through his regular release of 13 million naira monthly to the state emergency routine immunization Coordinating centre and other primary health care activities.
He said “Governor Diri has done well for the primary health care board. He has released well over N20 million for the board within his first one hundred days in office.
“He has also given us part of the state’s counterpart funds for primary health care and so our staff are not resting on their oars in making primary health care better across the eight local government areas of the state.
“As we speak our staff in the board here and all the eight LGAs of the state are undergoing a two week training programme organized by the National primary health care board in conjunction with our board here in the state.
“The people from the national board are coming to supervise them and we are also going to monitor their progress.”
