FLAGNEWS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DR. ISIOMA OKOBAH.

Dr. (Mrs.) Isioma Okobah.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with a Nigerian, Delta State-born, U.S-based renowned physician and M.D, First Lithonia Medical Center, Atlanta Georgia, Dr. (Mrs.) Isioma Okobah, on her recent appointment by the governor of Delta state, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, as Chairman, Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency and also Executive Assistant to the governor, on E-Health.

L-R: Delta Deputy governor, Amos Otuaro, Governor of Delta state, Ifeanyi Okowa, Dr. (Mrs.) Isioma Okobah.

By Andy Adaigbe.

In this exclusive interview with FLAGNEWS NIGERIA, Dr. (Mrs.) Isioma Okobah speaks extensively on various issues and developments in the health sector, including the performance of the Okowa led administration and what to expect going forward.

EXCERPT.

F.N: good evening madam.

I.O: good evening Mr. FLAGNEWS. Its good to see you physically. I thought you were a spirit and people don't see you (laughs). You are really doing well online because I do read your posts even in America. Nice to meet you Mr. FLAGNEWS.

Dr. Isioma Okobah in a snapshot with FLAGNEWS, before the Interview.

F.N: Thank you madam for the complimentary remarks. So may we meet you madam?

I.O: yes, I am Dr. (Mrs.) Isioma Okobah.

F.N: please can you tell us a little about yourself?

I.O: well, I am a family physician, I am the founder of Isioma Okobah foundation, and the M.D of First Lithonia Medical Center in Atlanta Georgia, U.S.A, where I base.

F.N: Recently, you were given appointment by governor Ifeanyi Okowa, please can you tell us what the appointment was all about?

I.O: yes I was appointed as the Executive Assistant to his Excellency on E-health and also the Chairman, Delta state Primary Health Care Development Agency.

F.N: wow, that's double appointment, congratulations doc. So how do you feel about the appointment?

I.O: I feel very grateful to God and to his excellency too, because he has reposed trust in me. Its a huge responsibity so am going to put in my best to serve my people. I want to promise Deltans that in my capacity I will ensure that primary health care is revitalized in Delta state.  We will make it affordable and Accessible. We will give them quality health care in the rural communities, and also bridge that disparity, because in the rural communities they don't have access to quality health care. So that's my vision. And that's the job I have been called to do. So am using this opportunity to promise his excellency and all Deltans that I will live above expectations.

F.N: What is E-Health all about and what is your road map and timelines for achieving your objectives in this new appointment?

Dr. Mrs. Isioma Okobah administering health services to Delta commissioner for health, Nicholas Azinge.

I.O: First of all, the Primary Health Care Development Agency is actually a state branch of a bigger one called the National Health Care Development Agency. So what actually brought the agency is due to the sustainable developmental goals. They want to bridge the disparity between the poor in rural communities and others. The goal was for them to bring significant health care to the poor and less privileged. And the way we could achieve this, was to have what we call "Primary Health Care Under One Roof", what it means is that we took  ownership of our primary health care. We are going to encourage communities participation. Educate the communities and let them know they have to access a doctor. We must get at least health officials in all the health care centers across the state, and make it functional. They will be trained, that is capacity building.

And through this E- health, we are going to access other doctors and get improvement. And we are also going to solve transportation problem. For instance, a patient who cannot be managed in a particular health center and there is no means of transportation to a secondary health center, the patient dies. So we are going to reduce this mortality. Which is preventable. And apart from this, we have maternal and neonatal services, so we are going to make sure we focus on all of that including the immunization of our children from preventable diseases.
  E health, the E stands for Electronic . You know right now, there is a lot of evolution in the medical field especially with the health information technology. So this is a new program that his Excellency is introducing into Delta state. The whole world has actually gotten electronic and the medical field has not been left out. So bringing E-health, which is all about electronic medical record and also telemedicine into the medical practice in Delta state, is going to help improve medical outcome in the state. So basically, E-health is going to be more of electronic medical record which is going to be for the primary health care centers. And this will help us keep all the patients medical records and also  help with the practice of medicine. For Example, a nurse who after studying, finds it difficult to treat a particular patient, through telemedicine the nurse can get advice from a doctor in another center and that will reduce morbidity. So its elaborate and we know we have alot of work to do. So we pray to God and seek the support of everyone.

F.N: How is this going to benefit Deltans?

I.O: Deltans are going to benefit from it in so many ways. First of all, their records are all going to be electronic. Secondly, its going to reduce morbidity and mortality. Like I said earlier, if a medical doctor can not have any more access on how to treat a patient, they can actually reach out to another medical doctor even internationally and get advice on how to treat the patient. That's what we call telemedicine. So with Telemedicine and E-health, we are going to actually help reduce morbidity. And we are also going to  bring in his Excellency's health insurance scheme with the E-health programme which in turn will help improve the health insurance scheme and give us better health outcome.

F.N: You are also the brain behind the Okowa Legacy Group. What is the group all about?

I.O: Okowa legacy group is meant to showcase his Excellency's legacy. He has done well in so many field.
A great majority of Deltans are experiencing the prosperity promised by governor Okowa. And he is very passionate about this primary health care, which is part of his SMART agenda, because he created the health act 2014 when he was in the senate. So with all these, there will be continuous job creation. So I believe he has actually done well within his two years in office and majority of our people are experiencing the prosperity.
 So what I did was basically break the SMART agenda down so that people can understand. Because before he assumed office as governor, he made a lot of promises with that SMART Agenda. So starting with the Strategic wealth creation and just going down the acronym, you will be able to see that he has done so much and will continue to do more. So bringing me in now to act in the capacity of primary health care, that's part of his SMART agenda. And we are going to revitalize the primary health care in Delta state.


F.N:  Do you intend to return to Nigeria in order to carry out this task?

R-L: Wife of Delta state governor Dame Edith Okowa and Dr. Mrs. Isioma Okobah (L).

I.O:  my dear, the only way I can actually do this job and make a difference, then have results is for me to be here in Nigeria, full time. So my intention is to be in the office by the grace of God, 8 to 5. Like I work in America. So we are going to the grassroot and give them the services they deserve.


F.N:  It is no longer news that the Non Academic Staff of the college of Education Agbor, are currently on strike because of some reasons which according to them, included the deduction from their salaries towards the government's health insurance scheme. What do you have to say about such development?

I.O: They should please go back to work because that's what insurance is all about. Health care any where in the world is expensive. Someone has to pay for another's health care services and that's the way it works.  You pull from someone, to be able to cover for everybody. That guarantees them health care and and give them drugs when they are at the point of needs. Though they  might see it as inordinate deduction   but its just a little percentage of their salaries and its a good thing. That's the way health insurance works all over the world. So you pull from the ones who can afford it to cover for the ones who can't afford it. I think they will get used to it. I and my family of four, we pay a thousand five hundred dollars in America every month for health insurance.  I have no medical condition and my children have none. Sometimes we don't even see  a doctor for a whole year. Do the maths, but that's the way it works. Some have to pay for others. There are some who don't have a dime but they enjoy the services.  So I am using this medium to plead with the workers to believe in the programme and call off their strike.

F.N: Finally, Do you have any political ambition?

I.O: (laughs), that's a tough question.  (Laughs again). You know am a politician and you don't ask politicians if they have political ambition. But to answer your question, I am not sure yet but I just have to go with the flow. And The flow right now for me is to work for his Excellency and make sure we bring him back in 2019. That's my ultimate goal. In December 19th, we are partnering with her Excellency, Dame Edith Okowa,  to visit the prisons, to offer free eye care, offer  reading glasses, visit the rural communities, after that, we will continue proper with our primary health care assignment. Thank you.

Click here to read Okobah urges Deltans to take advantage of free medical mission