Medical Officers of Health in the State have been urged to put in place good supervisory mechanism that would enhance productivity and check absenteeism of health staff in health centres in the LGAs. The Executive Secretary of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board Dr. Claribel Abam gave the advice during a technical meeting of Medical Officers of Health (M.O.Hs) and Management of the Board. Dr. Abam stressed the need for the Doctors in the 23 LGAs to work hard and scrutinize jobs done by health workers in their LGAs as to punish erring health staff.
Also speaking, the representative of World Health Organisation Dr. Richard Koko advised M.O.H’s to control and improve on routine immunization in the State, pointing out that it is one of the major reasons the Board was established. Dr. Koko noted that routine immunization would help check the outbreak of diseases like measles in some areas of the State as reported recently.
In tackling measles outbreak, the WHO representative gave an elaborate talk on laid down procedures, some of which are that health practitioners should first notify relevant authorities of such outbreaks, manage/assess appropriately the risks of large outbreak and also the capacity to implement a possible campaign. Dr. Koko urged them as professionals to always protect themselves against diseases by taking vaccines themselves.
Highlight of the meeting was the special presentation of reports of Primary Health Care activities in Andoni and Abua Odual local Government Areas detailing challenges and recommendations to the Board by the Medical Officers of Health of the Areas.
