A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has appealed to the governors of the 36 states in the country not to divert recently released N260bn intervention funds for the revitalisation of Primary Healthcare Centres.
Oyintiloye recalled that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, on May 24, said N260bn had been earmarked for the revitalisation of PHCs across the country.
Commenting further in a statement obtained in Osogbo on Sunday, Oyintiloye explained that Pate at the Abuja ministerial press briefing to mark the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu in office, said the N260bn revitalisation funds had been disbursed to states.
Commending Tinubu for the initiative, Oyintiloye said the decision to revitalise PHCs in the country was coming at a time when some states were struggling to curtail the spread of Cholera.
He said without proper monitoring, the funds would be diverted while the PHCs may be left without the necessary equipment for Cholera treatment and management of other diseases.
He also urged the President to ensure that a strict measure is put in place for the effective utilisation of the money.
“I commend the President for prioritising the health of Nigerians with the release of N260 billion to revitalise the dilapidated PHCs in the country.
“The only fear I have now is how this fund will not be diverted by the governors at this critical period of the Cholera outbreak.
“The PHCs in the country are currently at their worst level and that is why the fund released for its revitalisation must not be allowed to be mismanaged.
Since all the states of the federation have been mobilised for the revitalisation of the PHCs, governors should not allow greed to prevent them from doing the right thing,” he said.
To curtail Cholera spread, he urged Nigerians to cultivate habits of cleanliness and charged the government to create awareness, as well as, educate people on the need to wash their hands with soap and water regularly.
