The Federal Government has disclosed that it will work in close collaboration with State Governments and development partners to expand the Primary Healthcare Centres from 8,300 to 17, 600 nationwide over the next four years.
This was made known by the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate in his Keynote address at the 2-day Meeting of North East Forum of Honourable Commissioners of Health flagged off in Maiduguri, on Monday.
He noted that this initiative will be complemented with the training of 120,000 Frontline Health Workers, expected to commence soon as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Pate, represented by the Executive Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Muyi Aina explained that the three-pronged strategic approach adopted by the Agency include Institutional Strengthening and effective coordination of all Primary Healthcare services, efficient, equitable, quality and trust worthy services, and strong collaboration with all Stakeholders towards achieving frontline health security and routinised basic health care services among others.
The Minister identified the need for collective interventions of Federal, State and Development Partners to be more people focused and well coordinated to achieve overall sustainable goals.
He bemoaned that the North East like much of Nigeria still has unacceptably poor health induces which calls for strong collaboration rather than fragmentation of efforts at national and Sub national levels.
Pate said, “The Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme which encapsulates our strategic vision for the sector” was geared towards cohesive common goal to save lives, reduce both physical and financial pains and produce health for all Nigerians.
Remarking, Bornu State Governor, Prof Baba Gana Umara Zulum, urged the World Health Organisations to fulfil its promises to Bornu State while also prioritizing enhanced TB reduction and management, provision of DNA Machines for Gender Based Violence management, construction of hospitals in Biu and Munguno LGAs.
He said, “These promises were not mere expression of goodwill; they represented lifelines for our people, for mothers delivering children, for victims of unimaginable violence, for entire communities struggling against diseases
