The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board (RSPHCMB) has reiterated the importance of routine health data in improving primary healthcare services, urging health managers to view every statistic as a reflection of lives and communities requiring quality healthcare.
The charge was given at the Quarter Two 2026 Primary Health Care Data Review Meeting organised by the Board's Department of Planning, Research and Statistics held at the Board’s headquarters, in the Portharcourt, yesterday (15th July 2026).
The meeting brought together Medical Officers of Health, Monitoring and Evaluation Officers, Programme Managers, Directors and development partners including WHO, UNICEF, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and Corona Management amongs others to review programme performance across the State's 23 Local Government Areas.
The review compared first and second quarter performance, examining service utilisation, maternal health, reproductive health, child health, routine immunisation and reporting quality to identify areas of progress, emerging challenges and priority actions.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr. Chituru Adele, said routine data review goes beyond measuring programme performance.
"Every intervention we undertake is targeted at saving lives. Behind every figure is a mother, a child, a family or a community. The numbers matter because they help us identify where we are doing well and where we need to do more," Dr. Adele said.
He said the Board would continue to strengthen a culture of accountability by ensuring that routine health data are translated into practical actions that improve service delivery and health outcomes across Rivers State.
Earlier, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr. Dede Siyeofori, presented a comparative analysis of first and second quarter programme performance, highlighting trends in outpatient attendance, maternal and newborn care, family planning services, child health indicators, routine immunisation, reporting completeness and timeliness, while identifying high-performing Local Government Areas and those requiring targeted management attention.
Dr. Siyeofori said the review was designed to move beyond reporting figures by generating evidence for informed decision-making, improved planning and efficient allocation of health resources.
"We are very particular about LGAs that need our attention. Give us the numbers the way they are while we work together as a team to make sure these indices improve beyond the quarter under review. It is our lives we are talking about," he said.
The findings have set the Board's operational priorities for the next 30 days, with emphasis on improving reporting quality, validating routine health data and strengthening performance in identified priority Local Government Areas.
The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board will continue to strengthen the use of routine health data to guide planning, improve service delivery and enhance health outcomes across Rivers State.
Felicia Kambiri Onyiri
Information Officer/PRO
RSPHCMB