Communique Issued at the end of the 31st scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria Held at the Hallydays Resort & Hotels, Makurdi on 19th - 22nd January, 2015

 

PREAMBEL:

The 31st National Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Association of Public Health Physicians was held on 19th - 22nd January 2015 in Makurdi, Benue State. The Scientific Conference and AGM, which was theme, "Millennium Development Goals - Nigeria Now and Beyond 2015," was organized and hosted by Benue State Chapter of APHPN in collaboration with several development partners actively engaged in public health interventions in Nigeria. 

 

The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rt. Hon. Dr. Suswan CON, who was represented by the Hon. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Orduen Abunku; the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, who was also a Plenary Speaker, were among the dignitaries that attended the conference. This year's Annual Isaac Ladipo Oluwole Memorial Lecture titled, "Millennium Development Goals - Nigeria Now and Beyond 2015," was delivered by Dr. Michael C. Asuzu, an eminent and ebullient Professor of Public Health at the University College Hospital, lbadan. 

The Scientific Conference featured topics on the main theme and subthemes in four plenary sessions, three panel discussions, six oral abstract 'break-out' sessions, and poster presentations for the initial two days. The AGM, including the Strategic and Caucus meetings, were held on the final day. The following were the observations and recommendations made: 

 

OBSERVATIONS:  

1.  The attainment of Millennium Development Goals by 2015 has been challenging in Nigeria in spite of the commendable progress recorded and huge resources committed by the Government. 

2.  The low level of ownership of MDG projects among government, particularly State/Local Government, and primary stakeholders does not augur well for sustainability. 

3.  Lack of collaboration between government and public health professionals in the implementation of MDG projects and other notable public health interventions, which are often carried out in silos. 

4.  Nigeria continues to suffer from a high burden of disease, in the past year. This was compounded by disease outbreaks, like the recent Ebola and Lassa fever, insecurity and disasters. Though the containment of the Ebola virus outbreak was applauded globally. the health system remains very weak and fragile, and may not be relied upon to sustain this feat in ongoing and future emergencies. 

5.  The role of APHPN and members in the control of the recent outbreak of Ebola in the country is commendable. 

6.  Though Nigeria has made some improvements in combating HIV/AIDS and other Reproductive Health issues, there are still significant gaps in the areas of funding, surveillance and research. 

7.  The Shortage and mal-distribution of skilled and motivated health workforce especially to rural areas remains a problem to effective health care delivery in Nigeria. 

8.  The recent signing into law of the National health Act is a highly commendable act or stewardship oytne Nigerian government. However, there is no accompanying strategic framework to guide effective implementation and ensure accountability. 

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS: 

1.  All levels of government and stakeholders should demonstrate better commitment and stricter accountability in project implementation and management for full attainment of the Millennium Development Goals/Sustainable Development Goals. 

2.  Sustainable ownership of MDG projects involving prior identification of skills gap and establishment of an operational framework that guarantees that health centres built by MDG are put into use and manned by requisite professionals. 

3. -Full collaboration of MDG-related government establishments and agencies with public health professionals; while APHON shall take steps to build requisite skills for effective advocacy, communication and leadership. 

4.  APHPN pledges to provide system strengthening partnership for the Nigerian Millennium Development Goals/Sustainable Development Goals & PHC by providing honorary consultants and assistant Medical Officers of Health (MOH) for ALL the 774 LGAs in this country. 

 

5.  APHPN is committed to developing a framework for sustaining effective collaborations with government agencies and programmes with special reference to NAFDAC, Nigeria Primary health care Development Agency, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NACA, NHIS, Targeted States High Impact Project (TSHIP) and Civil Society for Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN). 

 

6.  The government should support the development of an Emergency Surveillance Support Framework with a broad base of relevant stakeholders; while APHPN pledges to deploy her vast human resources capacity in support of relief efforts, volunteer initiatives as its corporate social responsibility in emergency responses. 

 

7.  Government must take steps to decentralize the management of emergencies by creating Emergency Management Agencies at every state and LGA; with the full participation of Public Health experts/Medical Officers of Health, especially in disaster-prone areas. 

 

8.  Government should establish a Sustainable Rural Retention Scheme that provides for incentives for countering health workers' attrition. A healthier way should be found for the professional progression of auxiliary PHC workers into the universally known community health speculation rather than the present BSC (Public Health) and (Community health) programmes that have limitations in career progression. 

 

9.  Government and relevant stakeholders should make concerted efforts to ensure that the National Health Act is gazette and it should also have an accompanying strategic framework. 

 

10. APHPN shall build on its past efforts in advocating for policy formulation and implementation, by partnering with relevant stakeholders and policy actors; and shall mandate the establishment of an hoc Policy Action Committee.

 

Signed

Prof. T. M. Akande

National Chairman, APHPAN

 

Dr. S.A. Aderiboghe

Secretary General, APHPN