Government Should Involve Professionals In Equipment Procurement, Says Gajere

From Julius B. Kezi, Kafanchan
In order to strengthen and sustain efforts being made to revamp key public sectors, governments at all levels have been advised to involve professionals in the procurement of equipment and other essential materials.
The advice was given by the Medical Director, General Hospital Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Kaduna State, Dr. Jonathan Gajere, while fielding questions from pressmen on the state of preparation to implement payment at the point of service (POS) initiated by the state government at its health facilities.
Gajere said the advice was necessary considering that government was concerned about rendering quality service at all public institutions, which must be backed with quality equipment and essential materials like drugs used by end implementors, professionals who should recommend and certify, when purchased.
Citing example, Dr Gajere said the chief radiologist or pharmacist in the state or the country should specify and certify the equipment and drugs purchased, to ensure standard quality.
Shedding more light on the POS, Gajere said the state government had made adequate arrangement with a body charged with the responsibility of collecting any taxable fee, emphasizing that his staff and those from other health facilities in the state and in particular Southern Kaduna were well trained on their responsibilities.
He said the General Hospital, Kafanchan has five pay points – the Maternity, Pharmacy, out-patients, Eye/Ear and x-ray departments – which are within the reach of patients.
The medical director called on the public and staff of the hospital to cooperate to enable the system work and be served better as being practised at the Specialist Hospital, Shika in Zaria and Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Jos Plateau State.
When asked on the proposed solar-power facility for each ward of the hospital, Dr Gajere said it was a SURE-P project, which was not completed and that he was not in position to explain further. However, he hoped that if each ward has solar power facility, service would improve, the use of diesel would reduce and patients would be comfortable at night, especially during power outage.