Hon Ojo, a General Medical Practitioner who gave the commendation while addressing members of the state branch of Nigeria Medical Association at a ceremony organized as part of activities marking the 2016 Physicians week celebration in the state, said Dr Okowa contributed immensely to the enactment of the NHA.
The lawmaker, Hon Alphonsus Ojo told his colleagues in the medical profession that they are lucky to have a medical doctor as the governor of the state, emphasizing that Dr Okowa has always be in the forefront in the championing policies that would enhance the health sector.
He recalled that one of the first bill the governor sent to the state legislature upon assumption of office was the Contributory Health Insurance bill which received immediate attention of the house, saying that bill has since been passed and signed into law.
Hon Ojo assured that the Delta State House of Assembly would not relent in making laws that have direct impact on the lives of deltans, stressing the unwavering support of the house to the success of the present administration in the state.
The lawmaker said the free medical treatment he recently sponsored in his constituency in collaboration with the NMA, impacted so much on lives of the people and charged the doctors to be more united in the fight against quackery in the profession.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, represented by his Special Assistant, Dr Ojodume Okuguni said the Okowa's led administration will continue to strive towards making healthcare in Delta State accessible, available and affordable to the people.
Dr Azinge reminded the doctors that there selfless services and sacrifice was more needed now in this period of economic recession, saying that they must save lives in spite of the challenges, maintaining that many deltans need the services of doctors.
The state chairman of NMA, Dr Cletus Otene said there were growing concern on the health needs of the people and called on well meaning Nigerians to collaborate with the body in providing health services to the people, particularly the less privileged.
Dr Otene stated that the primary health care has been neglected for so long, stressing the need to deploy funds to the sector to address the worrisome development, saying that the funds would take care of the basic minimum health packages to the people.
For his part, Prof Patrick Igbigbi of the Delta State University, Abraka said it was a shame that in the 21st century, Nigeria can not provide accessible and affordable health care for its citizens, expressing optimism that the renewed advocacy by critical stakeholders will right the wrongs of the past.
Others in their contributions also stressed the importance of healthy people in the life of a nation and appealed for urgent steps to address the decay in the health sector.
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