The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N6.07 billion for the implementation of programmes under the 2nd Health Sector Plan nationwide.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, disclosed this while briefing journalists on major decisions taken at the end of the FEC’s meeting, adding that the amount was approved for the implementation of the second health sector plan earlier approved by the National Health Council meeting on June 21 this year in Kano.
Adewole explained that the first health sector plan conceived by the immediate past administration was scheduled for implementation between 2010 and 2015 with 52 targets but that only two of the targets were achieved.
He pointed out that inability to meet the various targets in the first plan led to the conception of the Second Health Sector Plan slated for implementation between this year and 2022 with 15 themes, 48 strategic objectives and 282 interventions.
Specifically, the minister hinted that the plan was meant to improve healthcare delivery in the country, added that its implementation would result in 31 per cent reduction in maternal mortality, 33 percent reduction in horizontal mortality and 29 percent reduction in under five percent mortality rate.
The plan provides also for an overhaul of the primary health care system, upgrading of existing hospitals across the nation and infrastructure development.
The minister, who said also that the plan includes 15 priority areas as well as five strategic pillars involving the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), listed such strategic pillars as, enabling environment for our attainment of health sector good, increased utilisation of essential package of healthcare services, strengthening our health system, and protection from health emergencies as well as health financing.
He clarified: “There was an attempt to come up with a plan between 2010 and 2015. That plan had 52 targets but regrettably, we were only able to achieve two of the 52 targets. So, we spent a long time, trying to put in place the second plan.
“So, it took us about two years to get this second plan done. It involves all states of the federation. It includes the Federal Capital Territory, and our development partners participated in the presentation and the approval of the plan.
“The plan was approved at the National Council on Health meeting that took place in Kano on June 21, 2018. The plan essentially has five strategic pillars and 15 priority areas.
“The five strategic pillars include: enabling environment for our attainment of health sector good, increased utilisation of essential package of healthcare services, strengthening our health system, and protection from health emergencies as well as health financing.
“In total, this new plan has 15 thematic areas, 48 strategic objectives and 282 interventions that will help us to really improve the healthcare delivery that will offer our people. What is important is the stakeholder and strong health sector-wide participation of states in the presentation.
“We went through a five-stage process. The states went to develop their plans. The federal developed ours. We came together, harmonised all the plans and we brought everybody together to validate and adopt the plan and then moved on to Kano for implementation.
“The entire projects meant for over five years will cost us over N6.071 trillion and we believe that if this funding is done if the plans are implemented faithfully, we will achieve a 31 per cent reduction in maternal mortality. We will achieve 33 percent reduction in horizontal mortality and we will achieve under five percent mortality reduction of 29 per cent.
“We are quite confident that this plan will usher Nigeria into a new era, and council in its wisdom, approved this plan for implementation.
So, the next thing now, will be to ask the states to commence implementation. Federal will commence, and we will go to NEC and Governors’ Forum to secure the buy-in of the governors so that this plan can be faithfully implemented”, Adewole added.