Key players in the Nigerian health sector converged for the maiden Health Sector-wide Joint Annual Review (JAR) in a bid to improve the country’s health care system.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate who led the gathering, said despite challenges faced, the health sector is on the right path, particularly extolling the visionary policies of President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda for the country.
“Nigeria is making steady progress in health security amid challenges, the Minister said on Wednesday, in Abuja.
“Despite persisting challenges, Nigeria is moving in the right direction. Seventeen states have shown marked improvement in modern contraceptive usage, with six states doubling their efforts”, he stated.
The JAR centred on the importance of collaborative efforts between the federal and state governments.
According to the Minister, all thirty-six State Commissioners were central in coming up with a strategic blueprint aimed at access to primary healthcare, governance, health security, and economic development through the health sector.
“In collaboration with the states, over 2,600 healthcare facilities are in advanced stages of revitalization, and an additional 2,000 facilities are earmarked for similar upgrades, all aimed at making primary healthcare centers fully functional.
“The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to making healthcare affordable and accessible to all Nigerians, marked by a historic increase in health budget allocations”, Prof. Pate added.
He said with the cooperation of partners, approximately 3 billion dollars was mobilised in complementary funding, including 2.1 billion dollars confirmed, boosting the efforts of the federal government.
He also added that under the PHC 2.0 reform, “we have emphasized equity by allocating financial and human resources across over 8,000 primary healthcare centers. Direct facility disbursements totaling 45 billion Naira have been sent to states, reaching our people directly”.
Prof. Pate further highlighted some key achievements of the Ministry under his watch to include, training of 40,000 frontline health workers, disbursements to over 8,000 primary healthcare facilities, and advancements in maternal health initiatives across 174 local governments.
He said stakeholders in the health sector also launched the “State of Health” report and the Health Vulnerability and Adaptation report to address future challenges, including climate change impacts on health outcomes.
The Minister revealed that through the SWAp Coordinating Office, Dr. Muntaqa Umar Sadiq, all states have developed and hosted their Annual Operational Plans (AOPs), identifying gaps and setting the stage for future collaborations with our partners focused on population health outcomes.
“Our commitment to improving population health outcomes has shown tangible results. Data from the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) reveals a 16.7% reduction in under-five mortality between 2018 and 2023.
“We have also recorded a 40% reduction in diarrheal diseases, a 24% reduction in tuberculosis, and a 12% reduction in HIV prevalence. These achievements underscore the impact of our collective efforts”, he pointed out.
The Minister urged all stakeholders, including state governors, health workers, and citizens, to actively engage in strengthening healthcare, underscoring the Nigerian government commitment to achieve an equitable, high-quality healthcare for Nigerians.
“I call upon all of us here to action. The task ahead is enormous, and it demands our collective efforts and genuine partnerships. Let us embrace a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, including our development partners, to help us build a healthier Nigeria.
“To the state governors, I commend your commitment over the past 15 months. To our development partners, I extend my heartfelt thanks for aligning with SWAp principles and adopting the necessary behavioral shifts.
“Your support for our annual operational plans, bottom-up resource allocation, and focus on high-burden local governments is invaluable. We look forward to your continued collaboration as we refine our resource coordination and align portfolios with our national health priorities”, Prof. Pate said.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the JAR is important for stakeholders across the health sector to assess program performance, evaluate resource distribution, and review outcomes or issues that need to be addressed to improve performance.
“As a critical accountability tool, we shall be using the JAR to promote multi sectoral coordination and set clear priorities for the upcoming year, ensuring that all stakeholders remain aligned with national health goals”, Dr. Iziaq said.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health spoke on the need for greater accountability and funding in the country’s health sector to support primary healthcare and vulnerable groups.
She said the National Assembly’s commitment to improving measurable health outcomes through a new accountability framework.
“Stakeholders, governments, politicians, community people, it’s about accountability,” Banigo remarked, lauding the revised framework that aims to strengthen oversight and identify gaps in health service delivery”, Senator Ipalibo Harry Banigo said.
She commended the Health Ministry for effectively utilizing the Vulnerable Group Fund (VGF), newly appropriated in the 2024 budget, to provide free surgeries for women suffering from Obstetric Fistula.
Reaffirming primary healthcare as the “cornerstone” of Nigeria’s health system, Banigo stressed the need to ensure that resources allocated to primary healthcare centers yield visible results.
She also called for a substantial increase in the health sector budget, aspiring to align with the Abuja Declaration’s 15% budget target, which Nigeria has yet to achieve.
“We’ve made progress this year, but we want to see much more of the domestic budget dedicated to health,” she added, signaling the Senate Health Committee’s ongoing commitment to supporting Nigeria’s renewed health agenda.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma appreciated the leadership qualities of Prof. Pate, describing it as “visionary”, revealing that the collaboration between federal and state health bodies is crucial to addressing health challenges in the country.
He highlighted that the sector-wide approach (SWAP) is developed to streamline budgeting, planning, and reporting in health. He referred to the Health Sector Renewal Compact signed in December 2023 by President Bola Tinubu, which unites federal, state, and local governments under a shared goal of universal health coverage.
“The compact is a powerful demonstration of our collective commitment to universal health coverage,” emphasizing the need for collaboration across all levels to reach health goals and address Nigeria’s persistent issues with infant mortality and malnutrition.
The Governor acknowledged the critical support from international development partners, such as WHO and UNICEF, which contribute to minimizing program fragmentation and enhancing resource efficiency.
“Their cooperation is critical towards reducing program fragmentation and maximizing resource efficiency”, Mr. Uzodinma said.He assured stakeholders of the Nigerian Governors Forum’s dedication to health sector reforms.
He stressed the Forum’s commitment to tracking progress through a dedicated scorecard system.
“Together, we will build a more resilient, inclusive, and effective health care system that meets the needs of our people”, he enumerated.