Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Tuesday, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment towards ensuring that the state remained Polio-free.

Okowa made the commitment while receiving the International Observer Team of the Africa Regional Certification Commission led by Dr Ariene King in Asaba.

The governor, who noted that Delta had not recorded any case of polio since 2010, assured the team that his administration would continue to provide adequate healthcare delivery to the people, especially primary healthcare.

“I believe that if we provide opportunities to attend to our people well at the primary healthcare level, it will be a lot easier to get them to be part of the immunisation against polio and other diseases. As a government, we will continue to do what we can to ensure that our people are given effective healthcare at all times”.

“The state had put down a road map to enable citizens to have access to healthcare through the state Contributory Health Scheme,’’ he said.

While commending various international donor agencies for partnering the country and the states in the funding of health programmes, Okowa called for sustained support and cooperation of the partners in the delivery of quality healthcare to Nigerians.

He assured of the state government’s commitment towards delivering its ongoing free healthcare to pregnant women and children from zero to five years in the state.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dr Ariene King, had told the governor that the team was in Nigeria to conduct a survey on the prevalence rate of polio, with a view to certifying the country polio-free by June, 2020.

She disclosed that Delta and Edo were selected in South-South for surveillance and assessment, adding that health officials in Delta were very knowledgeable in primary healthcare service to the people. (NAN)