Peter Duru
7 January 2009
MAKURDI — Benue State Government has set aside the highest sectoral allocation of N5billion for the health sector in this year's budget to tackle the health challenges and dilapidated infrastructure in the sector.
According to Governor Gabriel Suswam the amount is 10% of the year's total of budget of N51billion and will be committed to the improvement of healthcare delivery to the people of the state.
Part of the allocation the governor said would be channeled towards the completion of work at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital where the administration revoked its contract with the former contractor handling the project and re-awarded same to a new contractor.
He noted that concerted efforts would also be made to properly reposition all health institutions in the state with a view to getting them function at their peak.
Governor Suswam said that after a committee his administration set up to take a comprehensive tour of the various heath institutions in the state submitted its findings, it became clear that infrastructure in that sector were in a state of total disrepair hence it requires dedication on the part of government to get them functioning again.
He said, "in 2009 there would be concerted efforts by government to reverse the situation in our hospitals with the view to improving the quality of healthcare delivery to our people".
According to Governor Suswam all General Hospitals in the State will be provided with equipment and drugs and the overall standards of the hospitals will be improved to enable them play critical roles in healthcare delivery in the state.
"The overall standard of these hospitals will be improved to ensure that they play their roles as the referral centres for primary healthcare institutions in the various local government areas of the state", Suswam said.
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