By Ahmad Umar
Gombe (Nigeria) — Gombe state government, northeast of the country has organised a Council meeting on enhancing the health care financing and support universal health coverage
Speaking at the opening on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Hajiya Laraba Kawu said the meeting was in collaboration with international NGOs, Save the Children, MamaYe E4A, Society for Family Health, Marie Stopes Nigeria, Pact and Cihp.
The meeting, She said, brought together all stakeholders to discuss health related issues with a view to finding solutions to challenges to enhance service delivery.
Kawu said far reaching resolutions are expected to be arrived at during the meeting which would be forwarded to government for consideration and implementation.
While restating the commitment of government to enhancing healthcare delivery, she urged participants at the meeting to initiate workable ideas that would further boost healthcare delivery in the state.
Speaking on the overview of the meeting, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics of the Ministry, Abdu Usman said the council is a replica of the National Council on Health but tailored to suit the health needs of the state.
Usman said participants were expected to discuss health related issues that have direct bearing on the state.
He gave the names of members of the state council on health to include, state Commissioner for Health as chairman, all local government chairmen, Committee Chairman on Health at the state assembly, development partners as well as traditional rulers.
The theme for the 2-day meeting is: “Strengthening Health Care Financing in Gombe State to Support Universal Health Coverage”.
The meeting equally has sub themes including, ending all preventable deaths from pneumonia and review of the one functional Primary Health Care centre per ward initiative.
Participants are expected to submit memos during the first day which would be discussed before a communique is drawn on the second day.
Participants at the meeting who spoke to Africa Prime News maintained that without adequate financing, any strategic plan initiated towards enhancing the health sector, was bound to fail.
