Posted on: Sat 02-04-2016

The Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole has expressed optimism that the present administration would achieve Universal Health Coverage.

The Minister made this known on Thursday 10th March 2016 while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 58th National Council on Health held in the ancient city of Sokoto. 

He said that the Present Government  has made it one of its priorities to improve health outcome by striving to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through change agenda for health.

The agenda is geared toward  improving the efficiency and responsiveness of health system to the needs of the citizenry; it also focus on making available the resources required for efficient service delivery.

The Minister said the approach will increase access to health care services, reduce exposure of Nigerians citizens to financial catastrophe and to ensure citizen’s satisfactions with health service received.

He added that when Universal Health Coverage is fully functional and attained, it would improve health indicators, efficiency of health system, sustained economic development, increase social harmony and political stability and reduction in poverty and inequality.

Speaking on the strategies to implement the agenda, the Minister said“To rapidly increase the functionality of at least one (1) Primary Health Care(PHC) facility per ward in Nigeria, scaling up to 10,000 functional PHC facilities within two years. To achieve this stride, we have proposed a phased approach over the next 2 years; in the first year 2016, we want to make functional 5,000 PHC and scale up by activating another 5,000 PHCs in the next year 2017 and this sums up to 10,000 PHCs within 2 years.

The Minister urged States and Local Governments  to support the initiative.

In his remarks the Executive Governor of Sokoto State His Excellency Rt. Honourable  Aminu Waziri Tambuwal urged the stakeholders in the health sector to dedicate themselves in pursuance of the Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria. 

He said that Sokoto State under his leadership has constructed functional Primary Health Centres, in the 244 wards in the state, adding that ambulance for referral system has also been made available to the Primary Healthcare Centres in the state.

He also said that the state had established State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SPHCDA).  

Also speaking at the Occasion, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto Alh. Saad Abubakar III call on politician to always execute projects that has direct impact on common men, he said there is no justification for political leaders to spend billions of Naira on projects that would only benefit the few people in the state.

 He also urged the Commissioners to come up with strong policy that would reduce free sales and use of drugs on the streets. He noted that abused of drugs by youth is alarming and something urgent should be done to address the menace.

BoadeAkinola

Director  Press and Public Relations

---

---