15 July, 2024, Port Harcourt - In a significant move to advance sustainable development and improve public health services for the vulnerable population in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, recently visited the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Rivers State, Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. 

The visit aimed to discuss strategic partnerships focused on achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular emphasis on health as a critical enabler for alleviating poverty among the region's inhabitants.

The courtesy visits also allowed Dr Mulombo to present the 4th Country Cooperation Strategy 2023-2027 which will shape WHO’s intervention strategies in Nigeria and the nine NDDC-focused states, including Rivers. 

Collaborative efforts and Health Interventions
During a courtesy visit to the to the Rivers State Governor, Dr Mulombo highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts between international organizations, local governments, and development agencies to address the pressing health challenges facing Rivers State.Acknowledging  Governor Fubara’s various healthcare interventions to achieve the target for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensure that the people enjoy good health and well-being by 2030, Dr Mulombo said “Nigeria, like most countries of the world, is lagging in terms of reaching the target for SDGs by 2030, thus reason for a global call to do things differently and accelerate the rescue of the people”

He added  “We note your commitment towards improving primary healthcare services and the revitalization and drive to improve the health status of the good people of Rivers State”. 
The Rivers State Governor reiterated the state's dedication to achieving the SDGs and acknowledged the critical role of health in this endeavour. 

The Governor pledges that his administration will commit huge budgetary allocations to healthcare in the 2025 budget to drive the activities in the sector. 

Mr Fubara said “We believe that when we roll out that budget, a greater part of the health issues will be accommodated and I believe that by the time you visit us, maybe in another year, the commendation will be there. When we came on board, we also knew that one very important area that we need to touch is healthcare. Development cannot be complete if the health sector is abandoned”.

In a separate visit to the Managing Director, of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, the WHO Country Representative emphasized  the importance of partnering to address prevalent health challenges in the region, particularly, the issue of climate change and air pollution.The discussions centred on leveraging health initiatives to drive progress across various SDGs, including those related to poverty, education, and economic growth. 

Strategic Health Inititiatives
Dr Mulombo, in his remark, disclosed that  “The NDDC has finalized a partnership agreement with the WHO to accelerate healthcare coverage and financial risk protection for the poor and vulnerable population towards universal health coverage (UHC) in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria” 

“This project would be implemented in 3 phases; (i) identify, register, authenticate, and provide credible data of poor and vulnerable people resident in the rural communities of the 9 Niger Delta States, (ii) enrol 1 million Niger Delta Citizens into health insurance, and (iii) strengthen capacity for health security in the NDDC States while carrying out various operations research and impact evaluation studies to ensure tracking of progress and advancement of learning”. 

He also reiterated WHO’s commitment to providing continual technical support as guided and powered by the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp), which seeks to reduce the hyper fragmentation within the health sector and align development assistance towards impact. 

Addressing health challenges
While the NDDC and Rivers State Government were praised for their ongoing efforts to improve the health conditions of the vulnerable population in the Niger Delta, the WHO representative stressed the need for a more integrated approach that places health at the forefront of development strategies.

The Niger Delta faces unique health challenges, including high rates of infectious diseases, poor maternal and child health indicators, and limited access to healthcare facilities.   Dr Mulombo emphasized the need for targeted interventions to address these issues, including the strengthening of healthcare infrastructure, training of healthcare workers, and increasing public awareness about preventive health measures.

Ongoing Commitments
During the visits, both the NDDC and the Rivers State Government expressed their commitment to partnering with the WHO to enhance health outcomes in the region. The NDDC highlighted its ongoing projects aimed at improving healthcare delivery, such as the construction of health centres and the provision of medical supplies.

Dr Ogbuku in his remark outlined the health interventions of the NDDC including the NDDC Free Medical Outreach in the Nine States of the region.Reiterating the importance of partnership with the WHO, the NDDC Boss reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to take proactive measures to proffer health solutions, on issues such as Cholera in the region. He also stated that the commission will provide solar-powered borehole water for communities. “We are also working on cholera vaccines and commissioning ambulances which we will donate to the nine states of the region.” 

The visit ended with a call to action for all stakeholders to intensify efforts towards achieving the SDGs, with a particular focus on health.  The highlight of the meeting with the NDDC was the commissioning ceremony of 13 ambulances acquired by the NDDC for distribution to hospitals in its nine mandate states by Dr Mulombo alongside other dignities including Dr Ogbuku and and Chiedu Ebie, the newly appointed Chairman of the NDDC.