NGF, health commissioners parley on improved medical services

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and state commissioners for health have stressed the need for periodic review and adoption of new approaches to ensure improved Universal Health Coverage (UHC), particularly in sub-urban and rural communities.
Chairman, Nigeria Commissioners of Health Forum, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, at a recent retreat in Abuja, stressed the need for collaboration and review of approaches to ensure that the desired results are achieved.

The retreat was to boost the capacity of the commissioners and provide a platform for exchange of ideas, knowledge, skills and expertise for the general good and improvement of the health sector.

Filani said the take-away was to strongly mobilise key ministries and agencies so they can align with the vision and desire of government to improve healthcare services for the people.

NGF director-general, Asishana Okauru, said: “The NGF secretariat is very supportive of the initiative because effective leadership of the health MDAs at the sub-national level is a critical and necessary ingredient for the attainment of the vision of the NGF in the health sector, especially as it relates to the quest to achieving Universal Health Coverage and other SDG 3 goals.

“It’s commendable to note the increasing visibility and participation of the forum at the federal level. This is important towards ensuring that lessons from the states are reflected in the design and conceptualization of national policies and programmes.”

Participants from Borno and Kano states promised that knowledge and lesson from the retreat would be adequately deployed in the pursuit of improved health care services in Nigeria.