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Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Billiyaminu Othman
By Akanji Alowolodu , Bauchi
The Emir of Dass in Bauchi State, Alhaji Usman Billiyaminu Othman has lamented that lack of proper education and enlightenment is militating against effective healthcare service delivery in the state.
The Emir who is the Chairman of Traditional Rulers in Healthcare Delivery said that, “We are facing a lot of issues particularly in the area of malnutrition, child and maternal health and other child killer diseases. We have been having a lot of challenges throughout the state.”
He was speaking on Wednesday in his Palace in Dass when members of a CSO, Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD) paid him a courtesy visit.
He said that,”The first speaker has said it all about the challenges militating against health services delivery in the state. Nonetheless, we cannot rest on our oars, we just have to look at the ways we can improve on the negative indices and that can only be achieved through active collaboration with an organisation like the J4PD which is now in place.”
The Emir stressed that, “we have been working together for a long time with almost all the members of the J4PD during the polio era, but that notwithstanding, I believe that with this coalition, it will go a long way in making the job easier for us.”
According to him, “There are so many things that are going on, a lot of improvements have been made in our hospitals and other health facilities, there are a lot of consumables provided in the health facilities as well, a lot of services are there available.”
He however lamented that “but unfortunately, people are not aware, so there is the need for more public enlightenment, the need for journalists to come in and organize series of activities which could create more awareness to our teeming public and patients so that people at the community levels can access these opportunities at the facilities.
“So, this is a very special roles you are going to play and also there are so many international donor partners that are operating within the state numbering more than 20 offering assistance and support in various aspects of the health delivery service,” he added.
Othman further said that, “many people are not aware of the services, some of the activities are going on within the communities but most of the people may not take note of the activities. So, there is the need for us to bring you on board and to collaborate to make sure that we create more rapport, awareness all across the state so that people will benefit from the services that are rendered and readily available.”
The Emir had earlier said that,”It is indeed a very great day for me after a very long period of time of the eradication of the deadly poliomyelitis thereby certifying Nigeria to be polio free leading to the phasing out of JAP.”
He also said that, “now I am very excited to hear that we have another platform that will partner and as well create general demand for health services in our state.”
Earlier in her remarks, Coordinator of J4PD, Ms Elizabeth Nange Kah commended the traditional ruler for the role he is playing in the improvement of health indices in the state saying that he is doing it for posterity.
The J4PD Coordinator added that there is the need for more information and engagement in order to create awareness on the health indices of the state assuring that her CSO is ever ready to partner with relevant stakeholders to achieve the set objectives.
Elizabeth further told the Emir that a lot of positive things can be done through effective collaboration with the relevant health agencies in the state assuring that members of the J4PD will always give professional support as required.
