The Nigerian government through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), is set to host the Primary Health Care Summit.
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The summit is aimed at launching a bold new programme to transform primary health care in the country.
The Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who plans for the summit In Abuja, said that the Primary Health Care Summit is scheduled to take place on 24th and 25th March 2022 in Abuja.
“The Summit is geared towards launching a historic programme to transform the under-resourced, weak primary health care system in Nigeria by leveraging private sector, international agencies and government collaboration. The Summit will bring together national elected leaders, top government officials, and leading private sector executives to present ambitious and attainable plans that will lead to tangible and large-scale changes to Nigeria’s primary health care (PHC) system by the year 2030. The programme, dubbed “Reimagining PHC”, is solutions-focused and dedicated to delivering improved PHC services across the country, “Dr. Ehanire said.
He noted that “Primary health care is the foundation of the entire health system, its strength is crucial to the functioning of all other levels. In order to meaningfully improve the quality and accessibility of health care in Nigeria as a whole, we must urgently and comprehensively reform our Primary care system.”
The Minister said that only approximately 43 percent of Nigerians have access to quality primary healthcare services with only about four doctors available per 10,000 people, a fraction of the minimum rate recommended by the United Nation(UN), for basic health coverage.
He noted that it was widely recognized that 70 percent of disease burden can be prevented and managed at the PHC level.
“COVID-19 pandemic has cast a sharp light on the global inequalities in health and access to care. The health care system in Nigeria needs transformation, and PHC is the backbone,” he explained.
On his part, the Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib said that the the launch is a call to join in the ambitious action to transform health in Nigeria for our and future generations.
“A fit-for-purpose PHC system is foundational to delivering universal health coverage, national health security, and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria. We proved that Nigeria’s PHC system is highly effective when properly funded. Thus, the Summit will kick-start fund mobilization to realize the programme’s goals, it will be an inclusive project, leveraging the know-how and resources of the private sector, government, and global development agencies,”. Dr. Shuaib said.
He noted that the programme was driven by the conviction that all Nigerians have the right to quality, accessible health care, and that current challenges can be solved through strategic, transparent consolidation of available funding and a mobilization among partners to collaborate on this urgent priority.
“The project plans to utilize innovative financing mechanisms to boost financing sources in order to: increase the number and quality of health care workers; upgrade the infrastructure of facilities; ensure availability of equipment, essential medicines, and commodities; modernize information, data management and tech systems; and leverage medical technologies as alternative methods for service delivery”. The ED added.
The World Health Organization(WHO), says the upcoming Primary Health Care (PHC), Summit in Nigeria, would serve as a clarion call to leaders, advocates, partners and stakeholders in the Nigerian health sector to re-echo and operationalize the commitment made at Astana.
WHO Country Representative, Nigeria, Dr Walter Mulombo, said that in 2018, Heads of State and Government, ministers and representatives of States and Governments, came together at the Global Conference on Primary Health Care: From Alma-Ata towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs), meeting in Astana, to recommit to the 40 year old vision of the Alma Ata declaration on PHCs.
“Universal Health Coverage is a critical component of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” which emphasizes the need for health to be accessible, equitable, safe, effective, quality and affordable without the risk of financial hardship. Therefore progress towards UHC will involve building and extending equitable, resilient and sustainable health systems that are based on primary health care. The achievement of which requires political will, deliberate and intentional effort for resource mobilization, especially domestic resources, and local ownership for sustainability.” Dr. Mulombo said.
He added that the Summit, with the theme: ‘“PHC re-imagining: evolving a resilient platform for achieving the country’s national and global health goals via a peri-covid era’ was coming at a time when the health delivery system had experienced a severe setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Similarly, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),says investing in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs), is a cornerstone for preventing maternal and child mortality in Nigeria, where 200 women die from preventable diseases.
UNICEF Nigeria Chief of Health, Dr. Eduardo Celades Blanco disclosed that UNICEF was implementing the PHC Leadership Challenge Fund, that would incentivize PHC improvements in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, through catalytic funds for states that show marked improvement in PHC.
