Read how Gov Fayemi is preventing thousands from death Ekiti State

 ........as Fayemi Launches Cold Chain solar-powered refrigerators ahead of 

COVID-19 vaccines
• Sets aside N300m for Basic Health Care Provision Fund

In a proactive move to prepare for the planned COVID-19 vaccines 
promised by the Federal Government, Ekiti State has acquired 187 solar 
powered cold chain refrigerators for vaccine storage for its primary 
healthcare centres in the 177 wards of the state.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi who restated the commitment of 
his administration to further improve healthcare delivery in the 
the state also set aside N300 million for the State’s Basic Health Care 
Provision Fund.

Speaking at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital Complex, 
Ado-Ekiti during the official commissioning of the Solar Direct Drive 
Cold Chain Equipment, Governor Fayemi stressed the need for every 
child and pregnant woman in the state to have unhindered access to 
immunization, adding that the government would continue to reposition the 
health sector and make qualitative health services accessible to the 
people.

Dr. Fayemi assured that his administration is already working towards 
reversing the appalling trend of high negative health data by putting 
mechanisms in place for sustainability through the State Health 
Insurance Scheme in order to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

The Governor disclosed that the Basic Health Care Provision Fund was 
another strategy employed by his administration for funding 
infrastructural, personnel, health commodities and equipment 
requirements of a minimum of one health facility in each of the 177 
political Wards in the state.

He explained that the Cold Chain equipment means a well-coordinated 
effort towards achieving temperature-controlled environments to store, 
manage and transport the lifesaving products (otherwise known as 
vaccines) which must be continuously stored in a limited temperature 
from the time they are manufactured until the moment of vaccination.
Dr Fayemi noted further that the effort would boost Cold Chain System 
management and facilitate uninterrupted availability and distribution 
of vaccines in their optimal storage temperature and quality that will 
enhance immunization activities towards curbing preventable deaths and 
attainment of health for all.

He added that the idea of immunization is to ensure that no child 
less than five years or pregnant woman is left out of vaccination 
processes to improve the neonatal, infant and maternal health indices.

The Governor expressed his appreciation to the National Primary Health 
Care Development Agency for the strong partnerships and collaborative 
efforts with Ekiti State which led to the various achievements in 
health and high Immunization coverage especially the well-rated yellow 
fever mass preventive vaccination held in January 2020, among other 
milestones.

“The ideal of immunization is to ensure that no child less than five 
years or pregnant woman is left out of vaccination processes in our 
efforts to improve the neonatal, infant and maternal health indices.
“The average National figures of maternal mortality ratio of 512/1000, 
infant mortality of 67/100,000 and Under five years old mortality of 
132/100,000 are unacceptable to us in Ekiti State, hence our intent 
for all of these investments in health services to improve the 
maternal and child mortality ratios which had hitherto suffered a 
set-back immediately after our first administration.

“We intend to reverse the abysmal trend of our health data in the 
remaining years of this administration as we have put mechanisms in 
place for sustainability through the State Health Insurance Scheme 
which we launched on 10th July, 2020 in order to achieve Universal 
Health Coverage.

“Our State Health Insurance Scheme is a process that ensures that 
people have access to needed preventive, curative and rehabilitative 
health services that will be effective and of sufficient quality, 
while also ensuring that people do not suffer financial hardship when 
paying for these services.

“The Basic Health Care Provision Fund is yet another strategy employed 
by our administration for funding infrastructural, personnel, health 
commodities and equipment requirements of one health facility per 
Political Ward. With over N300,000,000.00 set aside, 177 health 
facilities in all the Wards have been selected to benefit from the 
fund and the money has been disbursed to the State Account for 
commencement of the programme in the first quarter of this 2021.

“I salute our front line health workers and the generality of health 
personnel for their various roles of saving lives of our dear people. 
Your efforts at this critical period of COVID-19 pandemic are 
commendable and may God reward your good deeds to the State and its 
people.

The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, 
commended the Governor for all his efforts aimed at repositioning the 
health sector for effective and efficient service delivery.
The commissioner promised that he would ensure that all the equipment 
provided at both the primary and secondary health sector were used 
with utmost care judiciously.

Present at the event were the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; 
Commissioner for Local Government, Prof Adio Folayan; Head of Service, 
Mrs Peju Babafemi; Chairman, Primary Health Care Development Agency, 
Chief (Mrs.) Monisola Oloro; ALGON Chairman, Hon. Kola Amire and 
representatives of WHO, UNICEF and National Primary Health Care 
Development Agency.