From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Government on Tuesday said they will soon send a Health Bill to the State House of Assembly on quackery and other sectors that will regulate health-related issues in the state.
The government also said they now have a law for Medical Funded Residency Training.
Speaking in Yenagoa, the state capital, during a one-day 2025 Health Sector Quarterly Performance Dialogue/Midterm Review And Joint National Review (JAR) Report Dissemination organised by the State Ministry of Health, the state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe said the government has a compulsory Child immunization programme for all residents in the state.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Public Health in the Ministry, Dr. Jones Stow, said, “We have also started amending Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme (BHIS) and Bayelsa Primary HealthCare Board (BPHB) laws for effective efficiency.
“We also develop the state anti drugs habit and anti drugs abuse policy, an emergency medical treatment and referral policy in the state.
“As beautiful as this policies, we have also done a lot of construction and reconstructions, renovation of facilities in Ekeremor, Igbedi, Sabagria ,Ofoni. You will see a lot of things we have done recently.
“For secondary health care, if you are coming into the state, Malla Sasime hospital is there that have been completed recently, we have also completed a Cottage hospital in Agbere/Odoni and is functioning and also a Cottage hospital in Ikarama community.
“For Tertiary health care, we have the Dialysis center, the 350 bed hospital is up and running and we have strengthen further ability to do dialysis at the Niger Delta Teaching Hospital Okolobiri.
“For unlocking value healthcare chains, our partnership with Zipline is very strategic . We are also in the process of developing Bio-Medical Hub for local pharmaceutical manufacturing and discussion are also ongoing on Drugs revolving funds to sustainable supplier of essential medicines
” On Health Security, the government is always making sure we have a security health agenda and that has results in not recording any mortality death in recent time and also choeleral outbreak . And part of what we have done is to do a proper referral system”.
With the theme: Improving The Health System Through SWAP Principles Of One Mission, One Vision, One Conversation, One Plan, One Budget And One Report. The commissioner further said for the
key enablers and sustainable impact, they have expanded the BHIS, and have provided better protection especially for the most vulnerable, and implemented a robust review accountability mechanism to oversee our Data operations in the state.
“For digital hub and capacity, the pilot of our electronic medical records system across each facility as the case is happening is very encouraging. We are planning medical out reach to rural areas especially during disasters and flood period.
“Progress details underscore the unwavering commitment to transform healthcare delivery to the people of Bayelsa State. This review meeting is not just an excercise in accounting but a renew pledge on unresilient future for Bayelsans.
“Non of this would have happened without the dedication of all state actors, development partners , the private sector, civil society and all health workers on the frontlines. The partnership is the true enablers of our success.Let us use this opportunity to consolidate on our gains , honestly address our gap to strategically align with what is ahead . Together we will continue to build a health system that is a pride of all Bayelsans”, the commissioner said.
In his welcome remark, the permanent secretary ministry of health, Dr Ebiye Sawyer who was represented by Dr. Torunana Ingowari, Director of Medical Services said, the review meeting is very significant to them as a ministry of health and Bayelsa State Government . Saying because it bothers on health care of the people in the state.
“This program is designed to access ourselves so far, brainstorm and see areas that we have not done well , what we need to bring onboard, we will improve on those areas”.
The permanent secretary called on Bayelsans to take the issues of there seriously.
The partners that work with the state ministry of health to achieve successes recorded so far includes, WHO, UNICEF, MSI, CORONA Management System amongst others.
