Nigerian govt leveraging sector wide approach to improve health outcomes – Minister, Pate
The Minister of Health And Social Welfare, Ali Pate says the federal government has adopted the Sector-Wide Approach, SWAp in the health sector to ensure “one plan, one budget, one report, and one conversation, in revitalising healthcare across the country.
The Minister explained that the strategy unifies its efforts and those of its partners and stakeholders, maximizing impact, enhancing
accountability and eliminating redundancies.
The Minister represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, made the remarks at the 8th Annual Conference of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists in Abuja.
Kachollom said the minister commended health journalists for their invaluable contributions to shaping public perception, influencing health-seeking behaviours, and holding stakeholders accountable.
He noted that the federal government through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, HSRIl, aims to revitalize the health sector by focusing on Primary Healthcare, PHC systems to deliver efficient maternal and child health services, tackle Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDS, address Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), and confront infectious diseases.
He said, ”the Primary Healthcare systems, bolstered by the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), has significantly increased access to vital services in underserved communities.
”The Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, MAMII, exemplifies these efforts by offering free cesarean sections to eligible women, thereby improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. Additionally, our interventions targeting neglected tropical diseases, NTDS, and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are meticulously designed to be inclusive and comprehensive, ensuring equitable access to healthcare and leaving no one behind”.
Pate said the federal government plans to continue leveraging partnerships and robust surveillance systems to protect the health of Nigerians.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, IHVN, Dr Patrick Dakum, in his remarks at the conference emphasised the importance of collaboration to strengthen health systems such that no one is left behind.
Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Sector Wide Approach Effectiveness in Addressing Poor Health Outcomes: The Role of the Media” is timely, President of the Association, Joseph Kadiri noted that SWAp’s effectiveness relies heavily on the active engagement of various stakeholders.
He noted that despite SWAp’s potential to improve the sector, many challenges persist, including limited access to health information and data, inadequate training or capacity building for health journalists, and insufficient funding for health reporting and programming.
He said, ”Our association annually holds conferences to examine critical health programs and policies aimed at improving health outcomes for Nigerians. This year’s conference, themed “SWAp Effectiveness in Addressing Poor Health Outcomes: The Role of the Media,” is particularly timely given the numerous challenges facing Nigeria’s health sector, including inadequate funding, inefficient resource allocation, and poor service delivery. ”
