Afrigather 15 July, 2024, Port Harcourt – In a major transfer to advance sustainable improvement and enhance public well being providers for the weak inhabitants within the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, the World Well being Group’s (WHO) Nation Consultant, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, not too long ago visited the Niger Delta Growth Fee (NDDC) and Rivers State, Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The go to aimed to debate strategic partnerships targeted on attaining the United Nations Sustainable Growth Objectives (SDGs), with a specific emphasis on well being as a crucial enabler for assuaging poverty among the many area’s inhabitants.
The courtesy visits additionally allowed Dr Mulombo to current the 4th Nation Cooperation Technique 2023-2027 which is able to form WHO’s intervention methods in Nigeria and the 9 NDDC-focused states, together with Rivers.
Collaborative efforts and Well being Interventions
Throughout a courtesy go to to the to the Rivers State Governor, Dr Mulombo highlighted the significance of collaborative efforts between worldwide organizations, native governments, and improvement businesses to deal with the urgent well being challenges going through Rivers State.Acknowledging Governor Fubara’s varied healthcare interventions to realize the goal for Sustainable Growth Objectives (SDGs) and be certain that the individuals get pleasure from good well being and well-being by 2030, Dr Mulombo mentioned “Nigeria, like most international locations of the world, is lagging when it comes to reaching the goal for SDGs by 2030, thus purpose for a world name to do issues in another way and speed up the rescue of the individuals”
He added “We notice your dedication in the direction of bettering major healthcare providers and the revitalization and drive to enhance the well being standing of the great individuals of Rivers State”.
The Rivers State Governor reiterated the state’s dedication to attaining the SDGs and acknowledged the crucial position of well being on this endeavour.
The Governor pledges that his administration will commit big budgetary allocations to healthcare within the 2025 price range to drive the actions within the sector.
Mr Fubara mentioned “We imagine that once we roll out that price range, a larger a part of the well being points shall be accommodated and I imagine that by the point you go to us, perhaps in one other 12 months, the commendation shall be there. After we got here on board, we additionally knew that one crucial space that we have to contact is healthcare. Growth can’t be full if the well being sector is deserted”.
In a separate go to to the Managing Director, of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, the WHO Nation Consultant emphasised the significance of partnering to deal with prevalent well being challenges within the area, notably, the difficulty of local weather change and air air pollution.The discussions centred on leveraging well being initiatives to drive progress throughout varied SDGs, together with these associated to poverty, schooling, and financial progress.
Strategic Well being Inititiatives
Dr Mulombo, in his comment, disclosed that “The NDDC has finalized a partnership settlement with the WHO to speed up healthcare protection and monetary threat safety for the poor and weak inhabitants in the direction of common well being protection (UHC) within the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria”
“This mission can be applied in 3 phases; (i) determine, register, authenticate, and supply credible knowledge of poor and weak individuals resident within the rural communities of the 9 Niger Delta States, (ii) enrol 1 million Niger Delta Residents into medical insurance, and (iii) strengthen capability for well being safety within the NDDC States whereas finishing up varied operations analysis and affect analysis research to make sure monitoring of progress and development of studying”.
He additionally reiterated WHO’s dedication to offering continuous technical assist as guided and powered by the Sector Broad Method (SWAp), which seeks to scale back the hyper fragmentation inside the well being sector and align improvement help in the direction of affect.
Addressing well being challenges
Whereas the NDDC and Rivers State Authorities have been praised for his or her ongoing efforts to enhance the well being circumstances of the weak inhabitants within the Niger Delta, the WHO consultant careworn the necessity for a extra built-in strategy that locations well being on the forefront of improvement methods.
The Niger Delta faces distinctive well being challenges, together with excessive charges of infectious illnesses, poor maternal and youngster well being indicators, and restricted entry to healthcare amenities. Dr Mulombo emphasised the necessity for focused interventions to deal with these points, together with the strengthening of healthcare infrastructure, coaching of healthcare staff, and growing public consciousness about preventive well being measures.
Ongoing Commitments
Throughout the visits, each the NDDC and the Rivers State Authorities expressed their dedication to partnering with the WHO to reinforce well being outcomes within the area. The NDDC highlighted its ongoing initiatives geared toward bettering healthcare supply, akin to the development of well being centres and the availability of medical provides.
Dr Ogbuku in his comment outlined the well being interventions of the NDDC together with the NDDC Free Medical Outreach within the 9 States of the area.Reiterating the significance of partnership with the WHO, the NDDC Boss reaffirmed the Fee’s dedication to take proactive measures to proffer well being options, on points akin to Cholera within the area. He additionally said that the fee will present solar-powered borehole water for communities. “We’re additionally engaged on cholera vaccines and commissioning ambulances which we are going to donate to the 9 states of the area.”
The go to ended with a name to motion for all stakeholders to accentuate efforts in the direction of attaining the SDGs, with a specific give attention to well being. The spotlight of the assembly with the NDDC was the commissioning ceremony of 13 ambulances acquired by the NDDC for distribution to hospitals in its 9 mandate states by Dr Mulombo alongside different dignities together with Dr Ogbuku and and Chiedu Ebie, the newly appointed Chairman of the NDDC.
