REMARKS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR. OSAGIE EHANIRE AT THE COMMISSIONING OF MOTORCYCLES AND LAPTOPS MEANT TO SUPPORT PRIMARY HEALTH CARE AND ROUTINE IMMUNIZATION ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA.
Protocols
The 3rd strategic objective of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017 – 2020 of the Federal Government of Nigeria is “Investing in our people”. The first programme in this objective is the development of a virile health system for the country, as a cornerstone of human capital development. It is accepted that primary health care is the Foundation of the health system of any country. Therefore, strengthening routine immunization as a major pillar of the Primary Health Care System and achieving our goal of universal health coverage in Nigeria is an imperative.
2. It thus gives me great pleasure to see the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) pursuing its mandate to implement a system-wide plan to enhance the immunization programme and ramp up coverage especially in poor performing states, to accelerate achievement UHC objectives which I commend.
3. I also note that NPHCDA is also called upon to play an important role in the national response to the community transmission phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with development partners, it has conducted training of over 200,000 health workers to enable them make their work environment safe; a key tenet in our outbreak management, along with other activities aimed at resisting the destructive effects of COVID-19.
4. A particularly important part of improving immunization service delivery is the provision of logistics management support which will improve accountability, supportive supervision, demand generation and assurance of vaccine availability and access in the target states.
5. The Motorcycles and Computers we are here to commission today are meant to enhance the Routine Immunization Officers ability for supportive supervision of service providers, and support the generation and on-site utilisation of programme data to continuously improve the quality of the immunization programme in Nigeria. On behalf of the Government of Nigeria, I hereby commission them, they they be put to their rightful purpose, for the benefit of citizens and furtherance if the objectives of the Ministry of Health.
6. Thank you all and God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
