BENUE HEALTH SECTOR WILL BE TRANSFORMED, I HAVE NEVER BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH FAILURE -DR. NGBEA

The Benue State Health Sector has been under serious turbulence and quest for a change in all ramifications, most especially in the area of health facilities. Dr. Joseph Ngbea who is the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Benue State in this special interview with Senior Reporters Erdoo Due and Deborah Adekaa assured Benue people of the desired change while reviewing prospects on repositioning the health sector.  Excerpts:

Transmitter: May we meet you formally Sir?

Ngbea: My name is Dr. Joseph Ngbea, the Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services. I am from Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State and attended the famous Government Secondary School, Gboko, then University of Jos. I teach at the Benue State University College of Health Sciences where I am currently an Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology. I have held positions such as the President, Resident Doctors, University of Jos, Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association, Benue State Chapter, Chairman North Central Caucus Nigerian Medical Association, Chairman Governing Council, Benue State Polytechnic Ugbokolo, as well as Dean Faculty of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences, BSU prior to my appointment as commissioner to mention but a few.

Transmitter: How do you feel as Commissioner for Health Benue State?

Ngbea: I feel happy and grateful to Governor Ortom for finding me worthy for this position. Every responsibility comes with challenges; this is not an exception but it has given me the opportunity to leave a mark in Benue State. So, I hope to leave the ministry better than I met it.

Transmitter: What can you say is the State of the Benue Health Sector?

Ngbea: The Benue Health sector is not perfect, even when I met it was not perfect although serious efforts are being made to improve some indices in the sector. The Primary health care which needs to be accessible and affordable is not in the right shape. That is being worked on. So, is the National Health insurance scheme of the state which has been at Zero level prior to my appointment as commissioner. Already, a sum of about 485million has been accessed to be injected here with the hope for a second round of financial access of over 1billion naira. This will help standardise the state’s insurance scheme. The Teaching hospital also needs improvement, so are the secondary health care facilities which encompass general hospitals in the state. But, everything cannot be done at the same time, we will address those that belong to grade A (Katsina Ala, Gboko and Okpoga) to a sound and acceptable standard viz-a-viz provision of basic amenities. If this is done, I think everyone will appreciate the Benue health sector.

Transmitter: Having taught in the Benue State University’s College of Health Sciences what can you say is the condition and status of the institution?

Ngbea: The Benue State University College of Health Sciences is one of the best colleges of health sciences in Nigeria. Structurally, it is well built and amiable to everyone who have visited the institution including the NUC accreditation team and other accreditation agencies. The manpower is optimal with good brains and number of teachers which was not the case in my time at Jos in the department of Clinical Pathology.  We have also graduated over 350 doctors who are the best in the country. Just recently, we had 7 successful post graduate medical students reckoning from this institution so, the school is doing very well. For the number of intakes, we go with the number approved by the NUC, which currently provides for only 75 students per session, but we look forth to an increase to about 150-200 students when facility is improved.

Transmitter: How true that School of Nursing has been incorporated in the College?

Ngbea: I was a Dean when nursing was incorporated as a department in the Faculty of Basic and Applied Medical Sciences (BAMS). Currently, there are students at 100L and 200L in the department of nursing science.

Transmitter: what is the state of the Teaching hospital?

Ngbea: Having worked in the teaching hospital since 2012 and rose to the rank of a Chief Consultant in Clinical Pathology, I would say the teaching hospital being the highest medical facility in the state is not optimal. I know the problems associated with BSUTH which are enormous; the amenities need to be improved- the Theatre, Mortuary, staff response to patients, staff incentives as well as the general environment of the hospital. Most recently, with the help of some agencies the ministry donated an ambulance, 2 ventilators and a generator for efficient performance with the hope to do more.

Transmitter: Manpower inadequacy has been an incessant issue in this sector what has been done to harness it?

Ngbea: Manpower in the health sector is an emergency. The required staff strength for the teaching hospital, 23 general hospitals and 888 primary health care centres amounts to 4,878 vacancies. But this is a big challenge. So,3000 replacements will be considered across board due to deaths and retirements within the sector.

Transmitter: Cholera,Tuberculosis and COVID-19 have ravaged the state, what is done about this?

Ngbea: Cholera is an infectious disease that come as a pandemic to children. When I came on board, there was a serious outbreak, most especially in Agatu and Abinsi but improvement in sanitary habits especially in these communities have moved cases downward. Supply of Drugs and consumables have also contributed immensely with the help of WHO and NCDC. A borehole has been drilled to enhance safe water supply and help contain the situation. Tuberculosis has been with us for a while. We also have the Department of Public Health that take care of it adequately by way of testing. Drugs are also supplied free to patients by implementing partners in the 23 local government areas. HIV is also taken care of with a recent supply of drugs and test kits worth 100million across the 23 local governments. For COVID-19 I will say, we have not done very well. But, Coronavirus is a pandemic that has come to stay. Our testing capacity is not very optimal but we will continue to do our best however the public should uphold preventive measures advised.

Transmitter: Have you or any government appointee taken the COVID-19 vaccine?

Ngbea: Yes, I flagged off the COVID-19 immunisation in Benue. So, most appointees have taken it. 73,810 vires of the vaccine was released to the state with half of it exhausted. Last week, 28,000 was still brought in.  So, I will advise the public to come forth in more numbers to take the vaccine as it only triggers mega antigen antibody reactions. Because a third wave of the pandemic is almost here.

Transmitter: A lot of IDPs live in the camps, how have they been incorporated in the health system of the state?

Ngbea: Well, there is no formal arrangement for treatment of the IDPs but there are a lot of CSOs and agencies that provide supportive health care services for them. Most often, the ministry provides supportive donations such as drugs to these agencies for optimal performance. Also, in cases of sickness, the ministry with the help of the governor adopt fully paid treatment for the camp members.

Transmitter: What plans do you have for the Benue Health Sector?

Ngbea: I have started implementing processes that will holistically transform the sector at the primary, secondary and tertiary care levels with special interest in the primary health care and the renovation of the ministry. I hope to leave the Benue State health sector better than I met it as this will spot a difference for the state and set the pace for others.

Transmitter: You have served in the capacity of the NMA Chairman Benue chapter and now the Commissioner, what is your motive politically?

Ngbea:  I do not know that because it is God who has propagated my life. I never knew I will be a commissioner but today I am here so where next God takes me is where I will be.

Transmitter: Is there anything else you would like to tell us?

Ngbea: Here, I would say I wish myself and the Ministry of Health Benue State well, while serving the ministry to the best of my ability, because I have never being associated with failure. This won’t be different. I hope to do better than all who have been in this office.