Health commissioners pledge to strengthen primary healthcare

Health Commissioners from Nigeria’s 36 states have expressed commitment to strengthening Primary Health Care across the country.

The commissioners, along with the Mandate Secretary of Health for the Federal Capital Territory, also expressed support for the federal government’s workforce migration policy.

Chairperson of the Nigeria Health Commissioners’ Forum and Commissioner for Health, Ekiti State, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, made this known to journalists at the end of a two-day summit on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Filani praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the National Policy on Health Workforce Migration and for his significant investment in the healthcare sector.

Acknowledging the acute shortage of healthcare professionals, as highlighted in a recent NHCF assessment, he underscored the urgent need for innovative strategies to attract, train, and retain skilled workers in the health sector across Nigeria.

A significant portion of the discussions centered on the recent Supreme Court ruling on Local Government Financial Autonomy and its implications for Primary Healthcare in Nigeria.

The commissioners reiterated their commitment to strengthening PHCs as the foundation of the nation’s healthcare system.

Mr Filani underlined the importance of ensuring adequate staffing, training, and the provision of essential medicines and equipment at the grass-roots level.

He said, “A sub-committee is established to develop a position paper on the implications of the Supreme Court judgment for PHC financing. This paper will be prepared in consultation with the Nigerian Governors Forum and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare,” he said.

In response to recent outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, and mpox, the commissioners reviewed preparedness and response measures in their various states.

He commended the leadership of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and called for continued support to states to bolster preparedness and response.

“It was agreed that monthly meetings would be held between state health commissioners and the director-general of the NCDC to enhance coordination and readiness,” he said.

He also expressed concern over the rising cases of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and renal diseases.

“We resolved to prioritise NCDs in our state health agendas and committed to launching a comprehensive awareness campaign titled “Know your Number, Control your Number,” scheduled for the last quarter of 2024.

“Health financing was another key issue on our agenda. We are advocating increased budget allocations for health at all levels of government,” he said.

He pledged that the commissioners would work towards achieving Universal Health Coverage and commended the recent efforts of the FMoH&SW in promoting the Sector-Wide Approach in healthcare delivery.

The commissioner expressed their support for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s emerging digital health initiative, which aimed to revolutionise healthcare delivery through data-driven decision-making.

He also commended the leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Pate, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr Tunji Alausa, for their efforts in promoting digital health solutions.

Mr Filani reaffirmed their commitment to improving health outcomes across the country and called on stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society, to join hands in building a healthier and more prosperous nation.