…From Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan..
Oyo State House of Assembly has pledged its support for the Federal Government initiated Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) just as it reiterated its commitment to partner with any organisation aiming at improving the quality of health care services in the State.
The Chairman of the House of Assembly’s Committee on Health, Hon. Abiodun Adegoke gave the assurance while welcoming Oyo State SURE-P team that paid an advocacy visit to the Assembly.
According to the House Committee chairman, every needed support will be giving to ensure the success of the SURE-P programme in the State as the health of the citizenry is paramount in the mind of the Legislature , especially in the areas of maternal mortality and child health.
To this end, he said, part of the efforts being made by the House was a motion on eradication of maternal mortality rate in the State which was moved in 2013 by the lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency, Hon. Fatai Salam which was unanimously adopted by members stressing that the motion has already been sent to the Executive for implementation . The Health Committee Chairman further intimated the visiting SURE-P team that as part of the oversight function of the committee, it has just concluded a working visit of the health facilities in the State with a view to ensuring that the healthcare services in the State is improved upon. Hon. Adegoke who used the occasion to applaud the significant role SURE-P has been playing in Oyo State since its inception urged the team to forward a bill on the maternal mortality and child health to the House for members to deliberate on the necessary areas synergy capable of bringing down the rates of maternal mortality in the State. Speaking earlier, the leader of the team, Mr. Adeyemo Oyewole said the purpose of the visit to seek areas of collaboration with the members of the committee on ways to achieve the goal 4 and 5 of Millennium Development Goal which its intention was the care maternal and child health. Mr. Oyewole stated that the advocacy became necessary since the MDG is targeting 2015 for the attainment of this goal but it became worrisome to SURE-P with available data that if care is taken it might be a mirage to achieve the target. In her contribution, the Assistant Programme Officer SURE-P Oyo State, Mrs Adebola Adesina said SURE-P has established health facilities in about 6 Local Government Areas of the State with the needed drugs as well as adequate personnel to work in them promising an unrelenting effort at ensuring that the whole State will soon be covered. She however implored members of the Assembly to continue giving the programme all the needed support more they have been doing so as to achieve the target set on the implementation of the programme in the State.