By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
In its quest to improve service delivery, the Health Sector in the Borno, Adamawa, Yobe (BAY) states under the guidance of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has held a review of the 2023 Health Sector Humanitarian response focusing on sector data collection tool reviewing and updating for 2024 HRP, for the BAY states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe with support from the United States Agency for International Development/Bureau for Humanitarian Aid (USAID/BHA) and the European Commission Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).
The review of 2023 Health Sector Humanitarian response was held in capital cities of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states drew 150 participants across the three states and the aim was to emphasize the importance of enhancing local capacity and coordination mechanisms to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the response teams in 2024.
Speaking on the objectives of the review meeting and workshop for health sector partners, the WHO Health Sector Coordinator for Northeast Nigeria, Dr. Aurelien Pekezou, represented by Mr. Oluwafemi Ooju, the Health Sector Information Management Officer, explained the engagement was to review what was achieved in 2023 as well also focus on building capacity of local organisations and empowering communities to take an active role in the response efforts.
This intervention is one of many supports the health sector is implementing to ensure full participation of partners and no vulnerable individual across the BAY states is left without access to basic health services.
Meanwhile, in his welcome remarks the WHO Yobe State Coordinator, Dr Alhassan Dama says, WHO as the global health lead will continue to support the state to coordinate partners and ensure lives are saved and the risk of duplicating activities are mitigated across the state.
On the other hand, the Commissioner for Health, represented by the Director Research, Planning and Statistics of the Ministry, Dr. Musa Sarki revealed WHO has always been their major partner in the health sector and this initiative by the sector is very commendable.
“Over the years the health sector under the leadership of the WHO has ensured medical consumables are donated, outbreaks of diseases are curtailed, and state’s capacities are enhanced amongst others, to ensure lives are saved. This complimentary efforts is paramount and the efforts are well noted..”
Dr Sarki added that, “the government of Yobe state is intentional by strengthening the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare to ensure the needs of the residents through improved Human Resources and availability of personnel. We also have a deliberate policy to support medical and health students to improve, and we will continue to work together to achieve the Universal Health coverage”, he said.
