Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government has restated its commitment to the implementation of the National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP).
It confirmed that the NSHDP has principal instruments that determine and guide the organisational thrust and agenda for a healthy Nigeria.
A statement from Assistant Director, Press, in the Federal Ministry of Health, Eunice Akro, indicated that the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehinire, renewed the commitment at a strategic retreat for principal officers of health committees of the National Assembly in Abuja.
Ehanire stressed the importance and role of lawmakers in providing the legislative framework and support for the success of policies and programmes that would strengthen the national health system, to enable it deliver effective, quality and affordable healthcare services to Nigerians.
He also informed the lawmakers that the goal of the NSHDP is to strengthen Nigeria’s fragile health system, particularly the Primary Health Care (PHC) sub-system.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, in his welcome address, informed the lawmakers that the retreat was put together to acquaint principal officers of both chambers of the National Assembly health committee on the policy thrust of Nigeria’s health sector.
“It was also meant to define a collective broad legislative health agenda for the next four years, as well as synergise and improve working relation and cohesion amongst the health committees of the National Assembly and other stakeholders to achieve optimal impact in healthcare reforms,” he added.
Dr Clement Peters, who represented the World Health Organisation (WHO), in a goodwill message, charged the lawmakers to be focused and mobilise political actors towards achieving Universal Health Care (UHC) through policy dialogue and high-level political engagement.
World Bank representative Rachid Benmessaoudi said that the retreat provides the opportunity to emphasise the social contract with Nigerians on healthcare service delivery, particularly for the huge number of poor rural dwellers and vulnerable people in Nigeria.