Olorunnimbe Mamora, the Minister for State, Health, has called for team work among stakeholders in the health sector to achieve the goals of Next Level Agenda.
Mamora made the call at a two-day Ministerial Retreat on the Health Sector Next Level Agenda (HSNLA): 2019 to 2023, on Friday in Abuja.
The retreat was organised to strengthen collaboration among departments , agencies, parastatals and programmes in the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH).
He said that the retreat was unique, coming at a time when team work was needed to achieve much within the limited time available.
The minister said that the aim of the retreat was to share and get the buy-in of stakeholders on the developed HSNLA documen.
He added that the workshop would also develop develop modalities for strengthening collaboration among the departments, agencies and programmes for effective implementation.
“The HSNLA 2019-2023 document spells out the objectives, strategies and major activities needed to achieve the nine key deliverables assigned to the health sector.
“It also prescribes measures to reduce gap in all Health-Related SDGs by at least 60 per cent high impact interventions
“The theory of change, success factors, targets and annual milestones as well as reporting and coordination.
“In addition, considering that over the years, there has been an imbalance between policy, plan targets and outcomes in terms of the performance of the health sector, there is the issue of loose coordination of activities in the sector.
“In view of this, there will be discussions on how collaboration between Departments, Agencies and Parastatals (DAPs) of the FMOH and other stakeholders could be strengthened.
” This is necessary for effective delivery of services across the health sector and the health system of the country as a whole,” he said.
Mamora said the ministry’s mission was to develop and implement policies that would strengthen the National Health System for effective, efficient and affordable delivery of services in partnership with stakeholders.
He urged the stakeholders to take the retreat as an important forum for understanding the HSNLA 2019-2023 document so as to enable them to identify their respective contributions.
He said stakeholders could join the ministerial team to achiev the administration’s vision of building a prosperous economy, eradicating corruption and providing security for all, especially through healthy and productive Nigerians.
The minister reassured the stakeholders that the ministry would continue to provide the political leadership and other necessary support and guidance.
Dr Moses Ongom, Health System Adviser Representativec of the UN, said that HSNLA 2019-2023 was consistent with the Nigeria’s aspiration to achieve UHC through Primary Health Care ( PHC), revitalisation.
“This is articulated in the National Health Act, 2014, National Health Policy 2016 and the second National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP11) , 2018- 2022,” he said.
Ongom said that the attainment of UHC involved progressively increasing coverage to a wide range of health services.
He said the retreat would provide opportunity for stakeholders to generate a common understanding of the next level priorities and deliverables and their linkages with national priorities articulated in the NSHDPII.
“This should then inform practical realistic implementation.
