Sustainable healthcare development system is one of the key indicators of good governance in any democracy. Going by the popular aphorism, “Health is wealth,’’ “ Sustainable health is certainly sustainable Wealth”. ABDUL RAHMAN ALIAGAN looks at NPHCDA’s giant strides in the health sector with particular reference to the progress made in the eradication of polio in the country.
Every nation dreams to achieve what could be called a sustainable healthcare system which serves the needs of its population. One of the strategic institutions in Nigeria’s health sector is the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The institution is saddled with enormous responsibility of providing support to the National Health Policy by providing technical support to the planning, management and implementation of primary health care, mobilizing resources, nationally and internationally for the development of primary healthcare in support of the programme of the Agency and to conduct or commission studies on resource mobilization on health.
The agency is also responsible for the issues of cost and financing on equitable basis as well as providing support for monitoring and evaluation of the National Health Policy with the aim of promoting health manpower development, support to the village health system and promote health systems research to promote technical collaboration and so many others with the aim of making the citizens healthier.
Marking a watershed in achieving the essence for which NPHCDA was established was the appointment of Dr. Ado Jimada Gana Muhammad as the Executive Director/CEO of the Agency exactly on 1st of November 2011.
Dr. Ado Jimada Gana Muhammad as the Executive Director/CEO of the Agency
Since his appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Niger-born Public Health expert has been justifying the confidence reposed in him by the president and the people of Nigeria by taking the nation out of its health crisis, particularly in the areas of poliomyelitis, maternal mortality, child morbidity, HIV/AIDS and other health related challenges.
On assumption of duty, Dr Ado Muhammad assured the president and indeed Nigerians that he would live up to expectations and justify the confidence reposed in him by promising to achieve the mandate of the agency such as to control preventable diseases; improve access to basic health services; quality of care; strengthen institutions in the healthcare system; develop a high-performing and empowered health workforce across the country as well as to strengthen partnerships with relevant agencies both within and outside Nigeria without jettisoning the important position of communities in getting regular feedback.
Like any other country, Nigeria has always been having developmental plans in almost every sector of her economic life and is equally endowed with able and capable personnel to drive it.
Giving the fact that the health sector is critical, NPHCDA has become a rallying point that all others agencies revolve round in driving the National Primary Health Programme and Policy.
Given the strategic position NPHCDA is occupying in Nigeria’s health system, Dr Ado Muhammad designed a strategic programme that is sustainable, transformative and that involves the cooperation of all agencies of government to achieve service delivery at minimum cost–effective.
In his transformative and strategic plans, Muhammad identified some major challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare system such as counterfeit and adulterated drugs, poor healthcare financing and sustainability, increased out-of-pocket expenditure, inadequate basic infrastructure/equipments/drugs and inequitable distribution, poor remuneration and other push factors, bribery and corruption and shortage of staff.
NPHCDA under Ado Muhammad-led administration has ensured equitable distribution of healthcare facilities and drugs, implementation of cost–effective healthcare interventions plans, establishment of a functional and competent monitoring and evaluation systems, built a purposeful partnership with development partners within and outside Nigeria as well as increased number of staff for effective reach to the targeted of areas of primary healthcare particularly the rural areas of states and local governments level.
More importantly, the main intent and purpose of public health is to promote a healthier population. This is essential in a sustainable health care system which provides economic and social benefits for the populace.
No doubt, Nigeria has recorded a remarkable progress towards eradication of poliomyelitis; reduction in maternal and infant mortality; impressive initiatives in addressing human resource challenge in the primary health care, PHC, sub-sector; integration and decentralization of HIV/AIDs intervention in PHC services in over 1,500 PHC facilities; transparency in public procurement and community ownership of PHC interventions under Dr. Mohammed’s leadership.
At the start of the year 2014, NPHCDA boss disclosed that Nigeria recorded a reduction of polio eradication by 58 percent. This was made known when the former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, visited the headquarters of the Agency in Abuja.
former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu
“In the last one year, we have been able to reduce the burden by 58 per cent. We have also been able to collapse the genetic clause end from eight to two. We have also been able to restrict the case to Borno, Yobe and Kano. We are now carrying out the final onslaught and we are optimistic that this year (last year, 2014), Nigeria will say bye-bye to polio,” he said.
While the former minister reiterated the federal government’s commitment to intensifying efforts to eradicate polio in the country, he said, government was committed to boosting the national immunisation campaign in order to strengthen human resource for the elimination of polio virus.
In sustaining the tempo of achieving good coverage of monthly routine immunisation, the Agency embarked on the recruitment, training and deployment of over 10, 000 health workers to over 2000 Primary Healthcares (PHC) facilities nationwide. The human resources intervention was at the instances of the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) on maternal and child health and the midwives services scheme of the federal government where boreholes, medical equipment, drugs, vaccines, consumables and mother to child prevention HIV services were provided under the SURE-P intervention. In the same vein, some primary healthcare centres were upgraded, in Kogi, Edo and some other states of the federation.
The agency has also been adopting meaningful collaborations with well-meaning Nigerian to ensure free health services to people of the country particularly in the rural areas.
Among the needed initiatives in achieving universal health coverage was the two-day free medical services rendered to the people of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State by the agency in partnership with Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Chairman Senate Committee on Health.The free medical care services offered succour to the people of the area in no small measures. The event took place simultaneously in all the primary health care centre in Ibusa, Okpanman, Illah, and Ebuwith with each centre manned by three medical doctors as well as other support medical personnel.
While the people expressed their happiness to the agency and Senator Ifeanyi, the agency had not hesitated in reaching out to meaningful Nigerians to take medical service to door steps of numerous Nigerians so as to assist the needy in the area of free medical services.
NPHCDA also recorded 66% reduction in un-immunised children in 2013 against 3.2 million in 2012 .
The Executive Director of the agency disclosed the milestone attained by the agency at the 2014 vaccination week stakeholder’s sensitisation meeting. The African Vaccination Week (AVW) had as theme: “Vaccination, A Shared Responsibility”.
The initiative provided a unique opportunity for countries and partners to strengthen national immunisation programmes by using the power of advocacy and partnership to increase immunisation coverage and reducing missed opportunity.
“Much progress in routine immunisation so far, the national cumulative coverage for other antigens remains above 80% and the country recorded improved coverage of Diphtheria, Pertussis (whooping cough) and Tetanus (DPT3) from 52% in 2012 to 86% in 2013,’’ he had said.
He made it known also that the agency procured 1,656 Solar Direct Drive to boost cold chain capacity.
“ There’s never been vaccines stock out, procured incinerators for proper waste disposals and intensified integrated supportive supervision,’’ he said.
The agency is presently working out modalities in bringing on-board the military & para-military Routine Immunisation providers to reduce the number of reported un-immunised children.
For the agency not shy away from the strategic importance of development partners in achieving the agency’s mandate, Mohammed had commended UNICEF for being consistent in vaccines supply and the partnership on immunization as well as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for renewed tripartite arrangement with Aliko Dangote Foundation and Kano State Government on immunization programmse in the country.
Testifying to the feat being attained by the NPHCDA, the UNICEF Chief of Immunization, New York, Dr. Jos Vandelaer, described Nigeria as key to UNICEF on global immunization activities.
UNICEF Chief of Immunization, New York, Dr. Jos Vandelaer
Vandelaer hinted that he was in Nigeria to get first hand information on Nigeria’s progress on immunization. Vandelaer was accompanied during the visit by UNICEF Regional Officer for West and Central Africa, Dr. Halima Dao, and UNICEF Chief of Immunization in Nigeria, Dr. John Agbor.
At the close of the year 2014, the President Jonathan signed into law the National Health Bill, a new Act that is set to provide greater access to primary health care for Nigerians. The much advocated Bill has been described by the Executive Director of NPHCDA as a milestone towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.
“The passage of the Bill is a significant milestone towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.
“Its passage and assent has been an interesting journey for all stakeholders in Nigeria’s Health space.
“We therefore congratulate Mr. President, the Legislature, the Supervising Minister of Health, Civil Society, Private Sector, the media and all other proponents working to improve health outcomes in Nigeria who have been a part of this untiring advocacy for social good in Nigeria.
“Today, we celebrate a major victory for healthcare reformers across Nigeria and internationally but an even greater victory for mothers, children and families especially those who are poor – the renewed hope is that they will now have easier and more frequent access to quality healthcare services,’’ Muhammed had said.
The NPHCDA boss promised to leave up to expectation in bringing the development to bear in the scheme of the agency’s mandate.
“On our part, we avow our commitment to bring this to bear in the efficient execution of our leadership mandate,’’ he said.
Muhammad confirmed that presently, 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory and their Local Government Areas have established State Primary Healthcare Development Agencies in readiness for implementation of the Act.
He pointed out that the agency and other partners achieved the landmark through joint and sustained advocacy. He said, the state agencies will serve as veritable platforms to ensure equitable distribution of basic health services to Nigerians.
In recognition of his outstanding achievements at the NPHCDA, the president conferred on Muhammad the National Award of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on September 29, 2014.
Speaking shortly before he conferred the award on Muhammad and other citizens, the president described the 2014 award recipients as “sincere men and women who point society in the right direction and mirror the possibilities of greatness unlimited.”
Muhammad in 2013 also emerged as winner of the Public Administrator of the Year Award, PAYA, which was organized annually by the Centre for Policy Development and Political Studies, Lagos, Nigeria.
Announcing him winner out of the 10 nominees for the award, Mohammed scored 3,025 votes, which made up over 50 percent of the total votes cast.
The NPHCDA CEO was praised for his efforts in “eradication of poliomyelitis; reduction in maternal and infant mortality; impressive initiatives in addressing human resource challenges in the primary health care, PHC, sub-sector; integration and decentralization of HIV/AIDs intervention in PHC services in over 1,500 PHC facilities.’’
The NPHCDA boss also won the highly revered Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award and Africa Leadership ICON 2014.
He was unanimously endorsed winner of the leadership award for the year at the 71st Conference of AASU held at OATTU Conference Centre, in Accra, Ghana.
The Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award and Africa Leadership ICON 2014 is awarded by All-Africa Students’ Union (AASU).
The Union is made up of 54 member unions from Francophone and Anglophone countries in Africa.
The body noted that the NPHCDA boss emerged winner “due to his unprecedented progress in polio eradication in Nigeria and repositioning of Primary Health Centres as the cornerstone of our health system,”
Nothing less is expected from the Niger-born young and focused-driven administrator, a graduate of “Better By Far” School of Medicine, University of Ilorin, and University of Wales, United Kingdom, where he obtained a Masters degree in Public Health.
It is heartwarming to know that Nigeria is warming up to be certified a polio-free country from the World Health Organisation by January, 2015. This is to happen not by accident but by the magic wand and acumen of the Dr Ado Muhammad-led administration at NPHCDA.