Abuja, 17 August 2007 -- The new Nigerian Minister of Health, Professor Adenike Grange has said that women and children as well as malaria control would be the Ministry’s priorities during her tenure. Prof. Grange disclosed this when the WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Peter Eriki paid her a courtesy call in her office and also to brief her on the forthcoming WHO Africa Regional Committee meeting.
The Minister added that it was her belief that men, women, children and the aged should enjoy good health. To this end, she remarked that efforts would be made to carry health interventions to the grassroots, using institutions in those communities. According to her, “health must be felt, it must be seen and palpated in every household”.

Professor Grange lamented that tertiary health institutions had been turned to Primary Health Care (PHC) centres, and promised that this would be changed, as staff at tertiary health institutions would be given new orientation. She added that States, Local Government Areas (LGAs) and civil society would be made to work more closely with the Federal Ministry of Health in the delivery of health services at their various levels. She also disclosed that the National Council on Health (a meeting of top officials of the Federal and State Ministries of Health), to be held later in the year, would be used to articulate common agendas, objectives and strategies for the country to achieve delivery of better health services. 

On immunization services, the Minister said she would look at the system in place, with a promise to expand and strengthen the Inter-agency Coordinating Committee (ICC), for it to accommodate other health interventions. The Minister expressed happiness that WHO is present in all states of the country, with knowledgeable staff prepared to give technical support at that level and requested the support of WHO in the building of capacity of staff, specially at LGA level.

Referring to the forthcoming WHO Africa Regional Committee meeting scheduled for Brazzaville later this month, Professor Grange noted the need for delegations to adequately prepare for the meeting. She hoped that such meetings would be used to standardize approaches to health delivery in the Region and for countries to have the opportunity to emulate best practices from other countries.

Speaking earlier, the WHO Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Peter Eriki congratulated the Minister on her appointment, saying WHO looked forward to collaborating with her as she builds and strengthens the health systems of this great country, Nigeria. Noting that WHO is the government’s closest collaborator and most reliable ally in the health sector, he assured her of WHO’s continuous technical support to the country.

Dr. Eriki intimated the Minister of the WHO Director-General’s six point agenda and the Africa Regional Director’s five point strategic orientation, which he said were the guiding principles for WHO as a Secretariat engaging with Member States. Dr. Eriki added that the Africa Region and indeed the entire world looked up to Nigeria because of its size, economic capability, institutions of excellence and her people, which should deliver credible and affordable health to her citizens.

While congratulating the Government and partners for increased funding to health, he said there was need to harness and use such resources properly. The WHO Representative advised the Minister to ensure that the Government was always on the “driving seat” and to adequately coordinate partners for support to the Government agenda.

Dr. Eriki further noted that in-roads have been made into immunization in the country, as evidenced by polio cases significantly going down, routine immunization coverage increasing and measles cases drastically going down. He urged the government to further strengthen routine immunization as a way of sustaining the gains achieved this far, and to use this as a critical building block for revitalizing primary health care and to strengthen vibrant health systems. He emphasized that interruption of polio transmission and thereafter eradication are paramount, which call for continued government and partners’ financial commitment to complete the remaining challenging job. 

The WHO Representative also advised government to strengthen PHC, so as to reach the poor and marginalized populations with health services. Dr. Eriki was also of the opinion that the country should develop a common agenda and plans with active participation of all stakeholders, which then all partners in the country can buy into. Dr. Eriki also extensively briefed the Minister on the forthcoming 57th WHO Africa Regional Committee meeting in Brazzaville, 27th to 31st August 2007, emphasizing what is expected of Nigeria at the meeting.

Dr. Eriki led a team of WHO Nigeria country technical staff on the courtesy call and briefing. Some WHO publications were shared with the Honourable Minister.

For more information, please contact:

alt Office of the WHO Representative for Nigeria
UN House, Plot 617/618 Central Area District
Garki, Abuja 
Tel: 234 9 4618596
Fax: 4618591-2