23rd November, 2023
By Salisu Sani-Idris
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and all the 36 states governors will sign a compact agreement to improve healthcare services delivery in the country.
Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state stated this on Thursday while briefing newsmen at the end of the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by the Vice President Kashim Shettima, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He explained that the decision to sign an agreement with WHO was reached at the council after a presentation on Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Programme by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.
According to him, the presentation look at all the challenges in health sector from financing, human capital, and supervisory point of view.
He also said that the presentation review the leadership level from the presidency to the local levels and the need for governors and local governments to put interest on the health sector.
The governor noted that without the health sector being taken care of, the country may not have the necessary technological development required.
” So there was a resolution of council that the World Health Organisation is coming in December 15, all the governors will come and sign a compact agreement in terms of service compact.
” Governors will be able to reiterate our determination to approach the health sector in terms of budgeting, given it the required impetus, the required attention that it deserves.
” The National Economic Council (NEC) received a presentation from the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare on Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Programme which looked and dissected in terms of very robust sector scan on health.
” From tertiary to the primary level, looking at all the gaps, the problem and challenges of funding, and even of the need for renew interest by stakeholders, mostly governors at the subnational level, experts, doctors and everybody.
” And of course the Renewed Hope that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is trying to establish in trying to bring synergy and collaboration between all the various stakeholders in the country.
” And they are trying to make sure that they establish a compact in a manner that we will be able to generate resources from everywhere.”
The governor said that after presentation by the minister, suggestions were made on how to generate resources from taxes in communications, on airlines as well as taxes from the state government to bridge the gap.
” Certainly, we have huge problem on human capital and the need to develop strategy to retain our own experts to take care of our own health sector.” (NAN)