Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun has inaugurated the state’s Emergency Maternal and Child Intervention Centre (SEMCHIC) and the Community Health Influencers Promoters and Services (CHIPS) programmes to reduce child and maternal mortality rate in the area.
Oyetola, during the inauguration on Wednesday in Osogbo, said that the newly inaugurated CHIPS agents were saddled with the responsibility of identifying pregnant women and children in need of medical care services and refer them to primary health care facilities for adequate attention.
Oyetola, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Benedict Alabi, said the initiative would accommodate and provide basic curable services to children under the age of five.
He said it would also enhance community participation to guarantee maternal and child health, as part of intervention of his administration in the heath sector.
The governor, while highlighting the rationale behind efforts to strengthen the primary health care delivery in the state, said the major focus of such intervention was to tackle child and maternal death headlong.
Oyetola also said that the state had been able to renovate and equip 332 primary health care centres across the state, as well as adequate motivation of the health personnel for greater productivity.
”With these efforts, the hitherto decadence in the health sector across the state is speedily becoming a thing of the past.
“Our government is restoring the lost confidence in Primary health care system by the general populace, as 332 PHCs have been renovated by our administration and they are currently in use at the various Local Government Areas,” Oyetola said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of Primary Health Care Board, Mr Leke Ogunsola, commended the governor on his efforts in revitalising the health sector in the state.
Ogunsola said the steps taken by the governor showed that he was working in line with his promise to the people of the state.
315 Solar Direct Drive (SDD) refrigerators were received from development partners by the state government during the programme for the preservation of immunisation drugs.
The Solar refrigerators were donated by the National Health Care Development Agency, Global Alliance Vaccine Initiative, UNICEF, among other partners.
