President Bola Tinubu has approved three initiatives targeted at improving healthcare delivery as well as directing funding for the sector towards delivering the best impacts in public health across the tiers of government.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, who disclosed this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the State House, Abuja, also said President Tinubu has instructed the Health Ministry to talk less and do more to deliver its targets.
Pate, who delivered his briefing with Vice President for Global Programmes at the Susan-Buffett Foundation, Prof. Seniat Fisseha, said Tinubu also directed his ministry to engage with development partners to birth new reforms that will improve the health and well being of Nigerians.
He further said the President also tasked them to pursue a very ambitious sector-wide programme that would improve population health outcomes, using the basic healthcare provision fund as a basis for reviving the primary health care system.
“While having an audience with the President, we discussed some important issues regarding the health and social well being of Nigerians. As we all know, the President is very committed and has directed that we do all that we can to improve the health and well being of all Nigerians as part of his renewed hope agenda.
”Accordingly, in recent days he has approved three important steps for us to move forward with that and has asked us to talk less and do more. And in that spirit he in fact, has asked us to pursue a very ambitious sector-wide programme to improve population health outcomes, using the basic healthcare provision fund as a basis for reviving our primary health care system, working with state governments and community leaders, traditional leaders to ensure that Nigerians get better quality services to deal with the issues that bother them, whether it’s malaria, whether it’s immunisation, maternal and child health, reproductive health, those are elements that have a direct bearing on the health and well being of Nigerians with the State governments and with our development partners.
”So that sector-wide program is underway and our visitor today is committed to working with us in that, to work with countries system’s not set up parallel systems. And we’re very glad that the Susan-Buffett foundation is willing to partner with the Government of Nigeria to advance the health and well being of all, especially our adolescent girls and women.
“The second item is to unlock the value chain in the healthcare space. Mr President has also approved an initiative presidential initiative to unlock the healthcare value chain, that will help drive the medical industrialisation agenda with clear targets.
“It will require public sector-private sector working hand in hand. Government do what it needs to do to provide the enabling environment and the private sector getting his act together to ensure that we produce the things that are critical for the health and well being of Nigeria while creating economic value and creating jobs,” he said.
Professor Fisseha of Susan-Buffett Foundation, said the foundation, which is known for its focus on women, girls, and primary health care, aligns perfectly with the government’s goals.
She lauded President Tinubu’s action-driven approach, saying “I do like the President’s direction on talking less and doing more and getting to action.
“So we are extremely excited. I don’t want to duplicate what has been said. Our hope is that we will be a committed partner to supporting the federal as well as state governments and communities to deliver health for all, so thank you very much for the opportunity today”, she said.