Health Sector Stakeholders Highlight Governance Challenges in Nigeria
In Nigeria, stakeholders in the health sector have pinpointed inadequate leadership, governance, and management as crucial obstacles hindering the improvement of health outcomes across the nation. This insight emerged during a series of workshops conducted in Yola, Sokoto, and Ilorin, as part of the Health Governance Strengthening Initiative spearheaded by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with Development Governance International (DGI).
Strengthening Health Governance Initiatives
The initiative, known as “Strengthening Leadership, Governance and Management Capacity (ELGMC),” targets State Primary Health Care Development Agencies (SPHCDAs) and other primary health care entities in Adamawa, Kwara, and Sokoto states. Its primary aim is to enhance evidence-based policymaking, planning, financing, implementation, and monitoring of gender- and youth-responsive primary health services. These services focus on reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health, as well as nutrition (RMNCAH+N), with a specific emphasis on addressing gender-based violence.
Importance of Leadership in Health Systems
During the workshops, Dr. Emmanuel Emedu, a UNICEF health expert and project leader, emphasized the necessity of effective leadership, governance, and management within health systems. He remarked that a robust management system is vital for the seamless integration of health service delivery into the broader health development agenda of states.
Calls for Enhanced Planning and Accountability
Professor Kaletapwa George Falauta, the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State and Chairman of the State Primary Health Care Task Force, underscored the crucial role of leadership and governance in enhancing planning, implementation, monitoring, and accountability in the health sector. She praised the efforts of UNICEF and DGI in fostering a resilient, people-centered primary health care system in the state.
Addressing Skills Gaps in Health Management
Dr. Amina Ahmed El Imam, the Health Commissioner for Kwara State, pointed out that while technical skills are plentiful in the health sector, there is a pronounced deficiency in soft skills. She articulated the need to translate programs and policies into tangible benefits for citizens through effective leadership, governance, and efficient management.
Commitment from Sokoto State Officials
In a similar vein, Dr. Faruq Umar Abubakar Uruno, the Health Commissioner for Sokoto State, commended the ELGMC initiative and assured the state’s commitment to achieving its five key objectives. His support highlights a collective readiness among stakeholders to enhance health governance in their regions.
Next Steps in Strengthening Health Capacity
According to Dr. Ghaffar Alawode, Chief Executive Officer of DGI, the ELGMC project is designed to be both interactive and comprehensive, incorporating an assessment of leadership, policy development, and implementation capacities in the pilot states. The upcoming phases will involve focus group discussions, key informant interviews, data analysis, and the creation of a capacity assessment report, followed by the execution of tailored capacity-building plans and guidance.
Stakeholders are optimistic that the successful implementation of the ELGMC project in the three pilot states will pave the way for an effective leadership, governance, and management system, ultimately enhancing health outcomes throughout Nigeria.
