By Godwin Udoh
The Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making healthcare accessible and affordable for all residents.
He urged Deltans to embrace regular medical check-ups for the early detection and prevention of serious ailments, including kidney failure.
Speaking on a Delta Television live programme, Politics in Perspective, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme, emphasized that good health is essential for building a healthy society.
Dr. Onojaeme disclosed that the state government is working to reduce the cost of dialysis in state-owned hospitals from over ₦70,000 to ₦45,000, to ease the financial burden on patients with kidney-related conditions.
He further announced that Governor Oborevwori has approved the procurement of eight new dialyzers for government hospitals across the state. “A dialyzer is a medical apparatus containing a semipermeable membrane used to filter waste products and excess fluid from the blood, essentially acting as an artificial kidney,” he explained.
The commissioner noted that the state’s recent investment in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) scan machines will reduce the stress of residents travelling long distances within and outside the country for medical diagnosis.
He added that the ongoing renovation and overhaul of more than 150 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the three senatorial districts underscore the administration’s commitment to enhancing access to affordable healthcare.
“The state’s free maternal healthcare programme has already yielded positive results, reducing maternal mortality from 350 to 120 per 100,000 live births,” he revealed.
To strengthen service delivery, Dr. Onojaeme said all government hospitals have been granted approval to utilize 100 percent of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to meet basic operational needs. Currently, Delta State boasts three tertiary hospitals, 65 general hospitals, and 441 PHCs, many of which are undergoing comprehensive remodelling.
He also highlighted the state’s ongoing drug surveillance system under the Drug Revolving Fund, designed to prevent fake and adulterated medicines from entering government health facilities.
Commending Governor Oborevwori’s leadership, Onojaeme noted that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) recently recognized him as the first governor in the country to pay the Medical Residency Fund, in addition to executing numerous health sector projects.
He, however, warned that medical personnel found sabotaging government efforts or engaging in sharp practices would face strict sanctions.
