By Sola Ogundipe

The Nigerian health sector must undergo institutional reforms if the nation is to deliver quality healthcare services to the people. Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate who made the comment in Abuja, said even though government at the top is working in that direction, a lot remained to be done.

Pate, who spoke during a courtesy visit to his office by a delegation of the Partnership for Transforming Health Systems Programme II (PATHS2), observed that the government is already making inroads, but admitted that a lot still needs to be done in strengthening Nigeria’s health care systems with various interventions being implemented within the health sector.

He told the delegation led by Mr. Jay Knott, Executive Vice-President, of Abt Associates, Bethesda, USA, that the participation of PATHS2 in the process is very relevant and that the nation required their support especially on capacity building, service delivery, health data management and health financing.

Pate said health is linked to workforce productivity and economic development, adding that this necessitated the inclusion of the ministry of health in the recently inaugurated Economic Team by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He acknowledged PATHS2 support in improving pro-poor health services while he was at the helm of affairs at National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

Knott, who was accompanied by the National Programme Manager, Mr. Mike Egboh, the Portfolio Manager, Mr. Ayman Abdelmoshen, and the Deputy National Programme Manager, Benson Obonyo, noted that few countries realised the importance of health to economic growth noting that Nigeria can achieve sustainable health outcomes with the integration of health to the country’s economic development agenda.

He urged government to establish workgroups to focus on implementing the health plans especially the saving mothers and children’s life agenda.

PATHS2 championed the first ever National Strategic Health Development Plan (NSHDP) and its corresponding States Strategic Health Development Plan (SSHDP).