In order to ensure adequate coordination and implementation of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme at the State level, SURE-P Mother Child Health (MCH) project has inaugurated a Steering Committee for Conditional Cash Transfer, in Delta State.
Inaugurating the Committee in Asaba, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara stated that the Committee will oversee the operations of the CCT process, as well as ensure that the concept and principles of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) CCT come to bear in the SURE-P centres through improved maternal Health outcomes.
The Commissioner who was represented at the occasion by the Functioning Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr, Michael Omatsola, noted that SURE-P MCH will impact positively on the reduction of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality by focusing on increasing maternal access to health services during delivery, at birth and immediately after birth through the use of its components, the CCT programmes.
Dr. Otumara enjoined members of the Committee to work assiduously and harmoniously so that the commitment of the present administration to take health care to greater heights in Delta State is achieved, even as he stated that evidence abounds of the various health programmes, policies and intervention which has touch the lives of Deltans in the State under the leadership of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
He charged members of the Committee to be transparent and ensure that the services of the programme get to larger number of rural women in the State.
In an opening remark, the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Ado J. G Muhammad, said that the CCT programme provides cash incentives to pregnant women in the communities as a means of encouraging them to go through the full stages of care for focused antenatal care visits, having skilled birth attendance at delivery in the Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities.
Dr. Muhammad revealed that the SURE-P MCH project has provided the selected Primary Health Care Centres with medical equipment, drugs and commodities to enable the health workers provide quality care to women and children, saying that extensive renovation of many of these selected facilities have been conducted in the past year.
He averred that the inauguration of the Steering Committee was part of the efforts to improve Maternal and Child Health outcomes in Nigerian under the SURE-P Maternal and Child Health project.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Sunday Otobo, who was represented by Dr. Paul Jinkori, in his welcome address, enjoined the members of the committee to be diligent in the discharge of the assignment.
The highlight of the meeting was the inauguration of the Steering Committee on Conditional Cash Transfer for Delta State which included the State Commissioner for Health as the Chairman, the Executive Director, State Primary Health Care Development Agency as Secretary, the representative of LGA PHC Coordinators from participating LGAs, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development.
Other members are; the Commissioner for Local Government, the Commissioner for Information, the SURE-P MCH Programme Assistant, CCT State Technical Officer, SURE-P MCH, State MDG Focal Person, the Representative of Paramount Traditional Ruler and the Representative of Paramount Religious Leader in the State.