63rd NCH endorses establishment of Family Health Dept, RMNCAEH+ N at state level

By Haruna Gimba

The 63rd Ordinary National Council of Health (NCH), has endorsed the establishment of Family Health Department and the Domestication of Nigeria Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent and Elderly Health Plus Nutrition (RMNCAEH+N) platforms in the 36 states of the federation.

This was following an endorsement of a memo, submitted by the Director of Family Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Salma Anas Kolo, to the council during its meeting over the week in Abuja,

The RMNCAEH+H, seek to improve the well-being of women, children, adolescents and the elderly in Nigeria.

It is a multi-stakeholder partnership coordination platform which would harmonise the health interventions of the government and health partners to reduce wastage and channel funds to get the desired result to achieve Universal Health Care Coverage. 

The platform brings together a wider cross-sector of partners and traditional leaders to address the gaps in achieving effective overall coordination of RMNCAEH+N issues by harnessing the relative strengths of individual players to leverage resources, reduce duplication and induce speed towards maximized health outcomes. 

Health Reporters report that the 63rd NCH has sought to address and improve health issues that are a major constraint to the environment and a priority to the Nigeria government.

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr. Mahmuda Mamman said that the intention of 63rd NCH alongside its theme of this year is to ensure universal health coverage across the nation.

Dr Mamman disclosed that NCH is an avenue for dialogue to deliberate with state representatives and strategize on ways and means of achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria.

“Our objective is to see how we can be able to strengthen primary health care because by strengthening the primary health care structure in Nigeria, universal health coverage will be attained with a minimal cost at all levels of government.

“The responsibility at this juncture is to make the policies, but when it comes to the implementation segment, it cuts across all the segments, the federal districts, the states and the local government. At the federal level is implementation 100 per cent.

“After this council. We assure Nigerians that the health sector is going to be strengthened. Th universal health coverage will ensure that no one is left behind in attaining the health sector,” he stated.

In her goodwill messages, Dr Waiter Kazardi WHO country representative, represented by Dr Mike Okamura said the SDGs goals which are in line with the theme “Building a Resilient and Sustainable Health System for Improved Health Outcome and Universal Health Coverage” is by supporting policies, promoting health care systems and preventing disease at all costs.

“The deliberation of the NCH on these key areas including vaccines in digital health, universal health care system, and climate change. She added.