By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, has underscored the organisation’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts in reinforcing its health system for better access to adequate and quality health services.
According to a press release on Friday, Dr Moeti made the pledge during a visit from February 20 – 25, 2022, when she met with President Mohammadu Buhari to discuss stronger collaboration to support Nigeria.
Among the issues raised was the need to boost vaccine access and the uptake of immunization to reinforce the country’s capacity to fight vaccine-preventable diseases, such as vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2).
Dr Moeti commended Nigeria for maintaining the state budget for primary healthcare despite the COVID-19 response and acknowledged the far-reaching impact of Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) revitalization on health service provision and community development.
She emphasised the importance of affordable health infrastructure in addressing health access and quality needs in the country.
“I congratulate the government for ensuring that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria has continued with the policy of allocating 1% of consolidated revenue funds for primary health care through the Basic Health Care Provision Funds, which holds the potential for changing the narrative in financing healthcare in Nigeria.
“We are committed to supporting the government of Nigeria to strengthen its public health system to ensure equitable access to quality health services, including immunization programmes which are crucial in safeguarding health and protecting lives. As the continent’s most populous nation, Nigeria has a pivotal role in helping to raise public health standards and practices for Africa,” she said.
On his part, President Buhari said, “I assure you that the Government of Nigeria will sustain and improve our work on routine immunization performance; contain outbreaks of the circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus, strengthen surveillance against wild poliovirus and curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”
The Regional Director also held initial discussions with the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, as well as leadership of the five health committees of the National Assembly to advocate appropriate financing for health aimed to strengthen collaboration for health security and universal health coverage towards reducing the incidence of poverty due to illness.
Dr Moeti also participated in the GAVI Alliance-Wide High-Level Mission. She also met with WHO Nigeria staff, whom she commended on supporting the government in its bid to achieve universal health coverage. She discussed the ongoing strategic repositioning to align with the WHO transformation agenda.
This mission was Dr Moeti’s fourth to Nigeria and comes as the country has embarked on a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 to ensure that at least 70 per cent of the eligible population is fully vaccinated before the end of the year.
The delegation that visited the president also reviewed progress towards meeting Nigeria’s immunization accountability framework indicators.
Aduragbemi Omiyale