26th October, 2018
The Sokoto State Government on Thursday in Sokoto inaugurated a special sanitation exercise to fight malaria in the state.
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, while inaugurating the exercise, restated his administration’s commitment toward ensuring a better health condition of the society.
Tambuwal, represented by Mr Al-Mustapha Ali, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, said: “We are aware of the importance of environmental health officers in the healthcare delivery system in the society.
“This can hardly be quantified when one recalls that this category of personnel contributes significantly in the provision of preventive healthcare services.
“It is in recognition of the importance of preventive health services in the improvement of health that we adopted the strategy of primary healthcare as the corner stone of National Health Policy,” he said.
Tambuwal said that the state government has also repositioned the state’s primary health care under one roof.
“Indeed, the state government has also strengthened the three zonal health offices located in the three senatorial zones to make healthcare services more accessible for the teeming population of the state.
“Moreover, we are working very hard to extend tertiary healthcare services to reach every corner in the state.”
The governor assured health officers of more opportunities for in-service training as a strategy of increasing productivity.
“It is therefore the expectation of government that health workers reciprocate this gesture by dedicating themselves to their duties,’’ he said.
Alhaji Shehu Goronyo, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Environment, solicited the cooperation of members of the public to desist from indiscriminate dumping of waste in drain systems and at unauthorised places.
Goronyo underscored the importance of paying special attention to the immediate environment in order to improve health and save human lives.
“Indeed our population is increasing and economic activities have also increased; this resulted to proportionate increase in waste generation,’’ Goronyo said.
Motorcycles were also distributed to the 23 local government environmental health officers during the event.