NGF, Health Commissioners Adopt New Approaches To Improve Health Services
Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and States Commissioners for health have stressed the need for periodic review and possible adoption of new approaches to ensure improved Universal Health Coverage (UHC), particularly at the sub-urban and rural communities.
Chairman, Nigeria Commissioners of Health Forum, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, who spoke at a strategic retreat for the Commissioners and other relevant stakeholders on leadership and effective health care service delivery in Abuja, stressed the need for constant collaborations and review of approaches to ensure that the desired result are achieved.
The retreat which was supported by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and other partners was organized in order to constantly boost the capacity of the Commissioners and also provide a platform for exchange of ideas, knowledge, skills and expertise, for the general good and improvement of the health sector.
Dr. Filani, said the key take away for participants at the retreat was to strongly mobilize key ministries and agencies so they can align with the vision and desire of the government to improve the health care services for the people.
NGF Director General, Asishana Okauru, in his remarks, described the retreat as a landmark event because it is the first time the leadership of health MDAs at the sub-national level from the 36 States and the FCT, comprising the Commissioners of Health, Executive Secretaries/CEOs of the State Social Health Insurance Agencies, State PHC Boards and State Drug Agencies, gathered together to review the structural, political, interpersonal and contextual barriers and challenges affecting the effectiveness of the state health leadership teams and to collectively chart a course towards addressing them.
He said, “The NGF secretariat is happy and very supportive of the initiative because effective leadership of the health MDAs at the sub-national level is a critical and a 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 (UHC) and other SDG 3 goals.”
He commended the leadership of the Commissioners of Health Forum for their pro activeness and commitment to build a stronger health system at sub-national level. “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.”
He promised that NGF secretariat will continue to advocate for adequate and equitable representation of the states in national committees and platforms that are responsible for design and planning of national interventions and programmes.
Meanwhile, Commissioners of health from Borno and Kano states, in their respective remarks, commended the NGF for supporting the leadership retreat and assured that knowledge and lesson from the retreat would be adequately deployed in the pursuit of improved health care services in Nigeria.
