Abuja, 24 April 2018 – The Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with international donors and development partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), today validated the 2nd National Strategic Health Development Plan. The plan which is designed to provide an over-arching strategic direction for health in Nigeria towards Universal Health Care (UHC) comes at a time the Government of Nigeria has set out its UHC agenda through Primary Health Care revitalization. With the Sustainable Development Goals, the National Health Act 2014, the National Health Policy 2016, and the Nigeria Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020 in place, the NSHDP II is expected to provide concrete steps and strategies towards achieving the above UHC Agenda. 

During the event, Dr Moses Ongom, who represented the Country Representative of the WHO Nigeria Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, stated that WHO was delighted with the value added to the design of the NSHDP II Framework.

“Over the past 2 years, WHO has sustained engagements with the FMOH, other federal and State actors including other development partners, and CSOs in this rigorous process. We have strongly supported the four main stages of NSHDP II development process, from the national framework development; the use of the national framework to guide the development of specific costed plans for the 36 States including the FCT; the harmonization of the states and federal plans into one national plan; and this national validation by stakeholders.” He stated. “Let me congratulate the Honorable Minister of Health, his team, and the entire health sector on this giant stride of completing the NSHDP II development and conducting this National validation today.” He added. 

The NSHDP II promises a complex intersection of specific health priority areas in line with the National Health Policy. WHO was announced as the second highest investor in the NSHDP II, with a total investment of over 91 million Naira (approximately US$253,467), with UNICEF being the highest investor with over 122 million Naira investment (US$354,704). Other donor/development partners in attendance include USAID, European Union, UNFPA, DFID, Maternal New-born and Child Health Programme (MNCH2) and Save One million lives program for Results (SOML P for R). 

The Minister of Health (Professor Isaac Adewole) who was represented by the Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, in his speech stated that the NSHDP II takes a more strategic approach and provides for health emergencies and risk sharing. He then called on “all stakeholders, health professionals and civil society organizations to pursue issues pertaining to this plan. We must succeed in meeting all NSHDP II goals.” 
 

Technical Contact:

Dr. Francis Ukwuije; Email: ukuwuijef [at] who.int (ukuwuijef[at]who[dot]int); Tel: +234 706 631 4825