Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara on Monday said that his administration has paid N232 million in counterpart funding to address maternal and child health, nutrition and malaria in the state.

The governor disclosed this at a two-day health symposium held in Ilorin with the theme: “Partnership for Health Innovation in Kwara State.

The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Kayode Alabi, said the fund would enable the state to provide subsidised healthcare delivery to the poor and the vulnerable.

“The state’s healthcare system is itself in intensive care and requires urgent attention.

“This is why we have called this symposium, to develop practical and innovative solutions that can be deployed in the short, medium, and long-term to improve on the current state of healthcare in Kwara.

“The state government will soon commence outreach programmes on maternal and child health, nutrition and malaria,’’ he said.

The governor said the outreach will involve nine surgical procedures with beneficiaries drawn across the state.

He explained that the procedures would include surgical on spinal Bifida and hydro-cephollus shunting, among others.

“We have also approved the sums of N26.9 million for a medical outreach in partnership with the Kwara State Association of Nigeria North America Inc. and Sakinah Medical, which I’m sure are ably represented at this event,’’ he said.

He said the state had taken immediate steps to tackle the menace of vaccine-derived polio, which broke out in January 2019, by mobilising resources for the agencies in charge for the benefit of children.

The governor said that about 24 international healthcare companies and dozens of experts were attending the symposium designed to be problem-based and solution-oriented.

He said emphasis would be on healthcare financing through state-wide health insurance and implementation of a minimum standard of Primary Health Centres.

Mr AbdulRasaq added that emphasis would also be on optimising secondary healthcare and development of specialist services in the state.

Sadiq Umar, Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary Health Care, called for partnership between the federal government, states and private individuals to promote healthcare delivery in the country.

He observed that health care delivery was expensive and called for various ways to source for funding of the sector.

Mr Sadiq added that primary healthcare must be functional to care for people’s health, adding that 90 per cent of Nigeria’s health issues could be solved at the level.

Earlier in an opening remark, Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, said the health situation in the state was at a dire state.

Mr Oloriegbe said that the state had the necessary resources, which if well harnessed, could help to improve the sector.

He lamented that one-third of the un-immunised children across the country were in Kwara and the state must put policies and programmes in place to address it.

Mr Oloriegbe called for the application of “specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound approaches’’ to solve the health issues in Kwara.