Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa state has charged medical practitioners in the state to live up to responsibilities in the discharge of their duties so as to make primary health care a success.

He gave the charge at this year's Annual General Conference and Physician's Week, organized by the state Medical Association with the theme "challenges of primary health care in Bayelsa State" in Yenagoa, the state capital.

Represented by his deputy, Mr Peremobowei Ebebi, the governor noted that it was in a bid to promote primary health care that prompted government to establish health care centers all over the state.

Governor Sylva however decried the high mortality rate recorded in health centers and attributed the trend to the nonchalant attitude of health workers whom he said in most cased are absent from their places of work, and called for a change of attitude.

While acknowledging the present economic challenges affecting all sectors of the economy, Governor Sylva enjoined medical doctors to uphold their professional ethics.

In his speech, the Commissioner of Health, Doctor Azibapu Eruani restated government's readiness to revamp the Health sector in spite of the dwindling economy.

Doctor Eruani who described the theme of the conference as apt said, he was optimistic that government would record a huge success in its primary health care delivery by next year.

Also chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association(NMA), Dr. K Azebi, in his address, reminded health practitioners of the prevailing economic situation as well as the high expectation of the society and urged them not to lose focus in the discharge of their duties.

Dr. Azezi also reminded government of the to re-orientate and reprioritize the health sector to achieve success.

Earlier, the chairman of the occasion and Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Systems, Dr. B.I Dadigi had called on health practitioners in the state to have a stock-taking in saving lives.

Dr. Doye Aganaba gave a lecture on the theme of the conference "challenges of primary health care delivery in Bayelsa state".