By Asma’u Ahmad
The Federal Government on Wednesday assured that efforts were in top gear to complete the National Strategic Health Development Plan-II and implement it.
Mrs Boade Akinola, the Director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health quoted the Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Enanire, as saying this in a statement issued in Abuja. The minister made the disclosure at the validation of inputs from health stakeholders across the country as part of the process to finalise the document.
Mrs Boade Akinola
Ehanire said the plan was developed as a result of the expiration of the first National Strategic Health Development Plan, which was launched in 2010 and lasted till 2015.
The plan was later extended to 2016 by the National Council on Health meeting held in Sokoto in 2015. The planned document was subjected for comments, observations and inputs from the 36 states of the federation and FCT as well as partners and the private sector.
According to the minister, the document is very important to the repositioning of the health sector. “Nigeria now has a robust, well-articulated National Strategic Health Development Plan resulting from the vigorous and concerted efforts of all stakeholders,” he said.
He described the document as extremely detailed and covered every aspect of the health system. The plan focuses on building enabling environment for the attainment of positive outcomes; increase utilisation of package of essential healthcare services and strengthening the health system.
“It also provides health emergencies, risk sharing and protection as well as sustainable healthcare financing,” Ehanire said.
The statement, however, quoted the WHO Country Director, Dr Wondi Alemu, as saying that the plan was expected to provide concrete steps and strategies towards achieving universal health coverage agenda.
Alemu, represented by Dr Moses Ongom, Health System Adviser, called for diligent implementation of the document.
“What will be most useful to the people of Nigeria, especially the poor and most vulnerable households, who currently contribute over 71 per cent of the total Health Expenditure out-of-pocket, is the diligent implementation of this plan,” Alemu said.
