by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Coordinating Minister, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the adoption, design and implementation of a domesticated, context-sensitive sector-wide approach as an innovative, holistic, and coordinated strategy for the improvement of health outcomes.
To this effect, a statement was signed and issued to newsmen in Abuja, by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Deworitshe Patricia, of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the minister.
This was made known at the opening ceremony of the 64th National Council on Health, with the theme: ‘Building a Resilient and Inclusive Healthcare System for a Healthy Nigeria,’ holding from 13th–17th November, 2023, in Ado Ekiti, in Ekiti State.
According to the minister, “We are redesigning the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), established by NHA 2014, to become more effective and efficient in driving the strategic shifts and priority initiatives that will see us moving towards accomplishing our ambitious but achievable goals and objectives.”
Pro. Pate reiterated the efforts of the Federal Government to put in place necessary structure and framework to effectively – and efficiently – coordinate programmes to address the wider determinants of health, since it is realized that a lot of the determinants of health are outside the direct control of the Health Sector.
He noted that the Sub-Themes were carefully chosen in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda to: “Highlight the priorities of the sector; encourage us to take stock of our journey, putting into consideration the reality of the times; and remind us of our ultimate goal of achieving a system that will ensure that all people have access to needed health services (including prevention, promotion, treatment, rehabilitation and palliation) of sufficient quality to be effective.
He said it is also to ensure that the use of these services does not expose the user to the financial hardship, saying, “Health of the people is a fundamental human right and it is a measure of our commitment to equity, justice, and the dignity of every individual.
“Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is not a choice; it is an obligation, a promise to provide quality healthcare to all, regardless of their socio-economic status. It is the embodiment of our vision for a healthier and more prosperous nation and a strategic advantage for us as a nation,” he noted.
While addressing some of the health issues, Pate said that the ministry has embarked on a ‘diagnosis-to-action’ system-wide initiative, taking briefs from all levels and consulting with all relevant stakeholders to achieving Universal Health Coverage, adding that, “This has led to a 4-point blueprint with cross-cutting enablers: effective governance; efficient, equitable and quality health systems; unlocking value chains and health security.”
The minister admonished, thus: “The ministry remains at the forefront – to continue to maintain stability in our health sector and meet the health needs of our growing population and to collectively change our narratives and foster the progress, which we desire.”
Declaring the 64th NCH open, Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, recognized that “Evidence-based research and development are the foundation of progress in every sector, including healthcare. Through research, we can generate data to guide decision-making and enhance our understanding of health challenges.”
Speaking earlier, Minister of State, Dr. Tunde Alausa, stated that “We must take a pragmatic approach on the way we want to respond to our current problems with Human Resource for health.”
He explained that, “While it may be difficult to prevent the migration of individuals for greener pastures, we can respond by increase in pool of health workers that we graduate from our institutions on annual basis. This will reverse the negative impact of the ‘Japa Syndrome’ that we are currently witnessing.”
In his goodwill message, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, stated his expectations for NCH to leverage on the strengths and opportunities on each tier of government to come up with feasible, less-complex and sustainable strategies that will work for the Federal and State Governments in overcoming challenges under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Program, and reiterated the commitment of WHO towards providing technical support, as a Member State Organization, towards the healthcare needs of the country.