Adewole Charges Ministry on Sustainable Health Policies
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has called on the management staff of the Federal Ministry of Health and stakeholders in the health sector to improve on achievements recorded and sustain the implementation of health policies. The Minister said Policies such as National Health Policy, National Strategic Health Development Plan1 and II and Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) were some of the key policies that needed to be sustained for the improvement of the Nigerian Health Sector.
The Minister gave this charge on Tuesday, 28th May, 2019 while speaking at the Valedictory Management Meeting and Handing over ceremony organized by the Ministry in honor of the Minister and the Minister of State.
The Minister said that before he became a Minister he had worked with the Ministry for several years in various capacities right from the time of Prof. Ransome Kuti, however, his appointment as a Minister gave him an opportunity to sit in the center and drive the affairs of the sector, directly.
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The Minister maintained, “For us, over last few years, we have done our bit. The health sector is a very challenging one, such that, one can never complete the assignment; the best, one can do, is to do one’s bit and leave.’’ Commending the management staff of the Ministry, Adewole said, “In the last four years you supported us to develop National Health Policy with support from the former Minister of Health, Prof. Lambo, we also develop National Strategic Health Development Plan II and now we are fortunate to be implementing the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.’’
He informed that, “over the years, governments put on policy without plan or the plan would come four or five years after the policy and when the policy or plan comes, there would be no money; but what is unique about this tenure is that,, we are fortunate, we have the policy, we have the plan and we had the money, that is what has become the ‘’Game changer’’ in terms of health sector restructuring.”
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, FMOH, Alh. Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi, appreciated the Hon. Minister for his open door policy, style of administration, in the Ministry; in that, when he assumed as office as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health with poor knowledge on health matters, the Minister assisted him to understand health sector quickly.
Directors in the Ministry appreciated the outgoing Ministers and wished them well in their future endeavors.
Boade Akinola
