The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that Nigeria must address persistent challenges identified in the recently-concluded Joint Annual Review.
The WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Pavel Usu, gave the charge on Thursday at the opening of the 66th National Council on Health (NCH) in Calabar.
He said the resolutions required not only endorsement but effective implementation at federal, state and local government levels.
He,however commended the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), sustainable health financing and health workforce development, saying it is critical to strengthening Nigeria’s health system.
The event had the theme, “My Health, My Right: Accelerating Universal Health Coverage through Equity, Resilience and Innovation”.
Usu said the theme was timely, as the council remained the country’s highest policy-making platform for shaping health priorities, improving governance and driving reforms.
He said the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework also prioritised resilient and inclusive systems, aligning fully with the council’s focus on health as a fundamental human right.
The WHO representative praised the leadership of the country for championing reforms aimed at expanding access to quality services.
According to him, the organisation strongly supports the proposal to increase the Basic Hea,adding that improved domestic financing was key to achieving universal health coverage.
He also welcomed the recently-adopted national policy on health workforce migration and expanded training, describing them as landmark steps toward strengthening frontline capacity.
Usu, however, said
He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to providing technical support, building capacity and strengthening monitoring frameworks to help to track progress and translate policies into measurable health outcomes.
