Towards revitalizing the Nigerian health sector, a Primary Health Care Summit is ongoing in Abuja.
The Summit is organised by the Nigerian government through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.
The event brought together government actors, health stakeholders, donor agencies and partners, religious and traditional leaders to discuss and find ways of making sure that the primary health care sector works.
Nigeria’s Vice President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, said that a lot more needs to be done to reposition the PHC in Nigeria.
“There is no way that that government budget alone can find health care. There is absolutely no way” Osibanjo said.
He called on the private sector to assist Nigeria to achieve Universal Health Coverage by taking part in health service delivery.
The Nigerian minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said that Nigeria needs at least one functional primary health care center in all local government areas on the country.
He said that 70% of diseases can be managed at PHCs thereby reducing the burden on Secondary health facilities.
He said that the PHC has been neglected for too long with adverse effects on the citizens.
He also said that Indeed, the foundation of any strong health system and for Universal Health Coverage rests on a robust, resilient PHC system, where health experts reckon that up to 70% of the country’s disease burden can be treated and vital disease prevention and health promotion education can be given, including immunization, routine and mass drug administration for various chronic diseases.
The minister added that Nigeria has altogether invested overwhelmingly in Tertiary Healthcare, from Public, private and Corporate points of view, and in comparison, little on Primary Healthcare, where the real health need is and where nearly all the damning statistics in health indices are generated.
Nigeria minster of Finance Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed says quality Primary Health Care is indispensable to achieving a Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria.
The Chairman Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum Dr. Kayode Fayemi reiterated the commitment of the NGF to strengthening PHC in each of the 36 states of the federation.
US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard said that Nigeria was moving closer to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage as it pays more attention to the primary health care sector
Speaking on behalf of the private sector, Chairman, Aigboje Aig-imoukhuede Foundation, Mr. Aigboje Aig-imoukhuede, said that every local government area in Nigeria has people who can deliver Primary Health care center for them.
In his presentation, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib said that Nigeria has a four point PHC agenda to implement.
“The four-point agenda is about implementing strategies that work and also thinking about those strategies that will drive more service delivery and revilitalisation of our Primary health care sectors in Nigeria. Everybody here today has a part to play in changing the current state of our PHCs. Now is the time for us to talk and deliver solutions that will radically transform the PHCs in Nigeria.” Dr. Shuaib said.
The theme of the Primary Health Care Summit is “Re-imagining Primary Health Care in Nigeria
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