Our people-centered approach, aimed at fostering collaboration across the entirety of government and society for an efficient, equitable, and high-quality health system and outcomes, is firmly rooted in partnerships with our national traditional and religious institutions.
Today, I had the pleasure of participating in the Quarterly Review Meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Healthcare Delivery (NTLC), spearheaded by His Eminence, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III @sultan_ofsokoto, along with dignitaries representing the Council of Emirs and Chiefs from 19 States and the FCT. This occasion provided another opportunity to acknowledge the significant contributions of our Royal Fathers.
The realization of ambitious targets to reach Nigeria’s most marginalized communities, through the strengthening of the primary healthcare system, the (re)training of frontline health workers, enhancements in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, scaling up financing, and utilizing innovative approaches to extend immunization/vaccination services to every child, hinges largely on community ownership, engagement, and the steadfast support of traditional and religious leaders.
With the recent signing of Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Compact with State Governors and development partners, His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, @officialABAT, declared that “health is back on the front burner of Nigeria’s national development priorities.” This underscores a key aspect of the Renewed Hope Agenda, wherein improved health outcomes are envisioned to unify the nation and optimize Nigeria’s demographic potential.
The influential position of traditional and religious leaders in their domains, coupled with their crucial role in healthcare service delivery, holds far-reaching implications. Their ability to shape perceptions, dispel myths, and mobilize communities is unparalleled. Hence, we collaborate closely with them to tailor the health sector development approach to the Nigerian context.
We express our gratitude to His Eminence and all Highnesses for reaffirming their unwavering support in working towards achieving the strategic goals outlined under Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Initiative.
Looking ahead, we are extending this engagement approach with traditional and religious leaders to other regions of the country beyond the initial 19 States, aligning with the national drive and complementing the role of organized civil society. This concerted effort is geared toward establishing a people-centered health system, in accordance with the visionary leadership of President Tinubu.
