Health Minister Solicits Collaboration To Enhance Primary Healthcare Services

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, has called for stronger collaboration among state governments, development partners, and civil society organizations to enhance healthcare services at primary healthcare centres across Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja at the National Stakeholder Engagement on Accelerating Improvement in Primary Health Care, Professor Pate emphasized that Nigeria’s 2014 National Health Act provides a legal framework for cooperation between federal, state, and local governments.

He urged that the recent autonomy granted to the primary healthcare system should translate into meaningful development and improved service delivery.

Also speaking, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA Dr. Muyi Aina acknowledged the significant progress made in strengthening the primary healthcare system but stressed the need for continuous engagement to address the remaining challenges.

According to Dr. Aina, “As you will recall, in June of last year, there was a landmark supreme court ruling that granted the local government financial autonomy.”

“While there was initial confusion and concerns from many quarters of what that meant for, primary healthcare. The role that all the tiers of government play and what we have done today is to come together as one to agree on a number of things.
First, to establish a shared understanding of the historical and evolution context of the PHC system.”

“Second, to align on a framework for collaboration between the FG, states, LGAs and partners in the coordination, management, and implementation of PHC services in the face of LGA autonomy.
And to establish a clear road map for the implementation of the agreed framework by aligning on key next steps such as policy reviews legislative amendments and review of existing guidelines.”

Dr. Aina highlighted that the federal government is working collaboratively, leveraging financial autonomy, to revitalize every primary healthcare centre, ensuring they remain accessible as the closest healthcare facility to the people.

Dr. Aina stressed further that, “Now more than ever, we are abiding by the law, we are working together as a team. So there is now conversation around the capacity of FG, states, and LGAs as everybody has a role to play.

During the event, stakeholders adopted a roadmap to implement policy reviews, legislative amendments, and updates to existing healthcare guidelines to further improve primary healthcare services nationwide.

Florence Adewale, Edited By Grace Namiji