An Emergency National Council on Health was held virtually today, 23rd June, 2020 to consider and possibly adopt two memoranda and one presentation: ‘Revised Guidelines For The Basic Healthcare Provision Fund’; ‘The Health Sector COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan’, presented by the Honourable Minister of Health; and ‘Reducing Transmission of COVID-19 Through Community Approach’ which is a presentation by the Executive Director, National Primary Health care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The Council requested for the first memo which is the ‘Revised Guidelines for the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund’ presented by the Honourable Minister of Health to be stepped down to allow for additional explanations, consultations and all issues around it to be resolved.
However, the Emergency National Council on Health (NCH) deliberated on and adopted the other memorandum: ‘The Health Sector COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan’ presented by the Honourable Minister of Health as well as the presentation: ‘Reducing Transmission of COVID-19 Through Community Approach’ presented by the Executive Director, National Primary Health care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The presentation by the Executive Director, National Primary Health care Development Agency (NPHCDA) – ‘Reducing Transmission of COVID-19 Through Community Approach’ was adopted with the understanding that “The COVID-19 Community Support Centres (CSCs) should not be established as parallel centres but as additional options to relieve the burden of service delivery on existing facilities.”
Also, it was agreed that “States are to own and lead the implementation of the COVID-19 Community Support Centres (CSCs) where desirable.”
The Emergency NCH Meeting, which held as a virtual meeting, was chaired by the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie E. Ehanire.
The meeting was attended by the Honourable Minister of State for Health, Dr. (Senator) Olorunnimbe Adeleke Mamora; Permanent Secretary (Federal Ministry of Health), Mr. Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi; State Commissioners for Health from 25 States: (Jigawa, Bauchi, Borno, Kebbi, Lagos, Edo, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kano, Kogi, Yobe, Niger, Imo, Rivers, Cross Rivers, Enugu, Anambra, Katsina, Ekiti, Kwara, Plateau, Osun, Ogun, Nasarawa, Gombe);
The Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCT and a Representative of Akwa Ibom State’s Commissioner for Health in the person of the Permanent Secretary of the State’s Ministry of Health were also in attendance.
The meeting started with self-introduction followed by a Brief Welcome Remark delivered by the Honourable Minister of State for Health and a Brief Opening Remark by the Honourable Minister of Health. Thereafter, the Permanent Secretary (FMOH) highlighted the procedure for conducting the Council Meeting.
The Council noted the development of the Health Sector COVID-19 Pandemic Response Action Plan and the proposed establishment of Community Support Centres (CSCs), in the first instance, in high burden States of Lagos, Kano, and FCT towards reducing community transmission of COVID-19.
The Council also noted the progress of work/support by all stakeholders and challenges encountered in the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic across the States of the federation while it agreed that Federal Ministry of Health will share a template on Needs Assessment and Daily Reporting Format on Case Management to facilitate decision making for federal government support to States.
Visit www.health.gov.ng to download the approved the Communique of the Emergency NCH from the NCH Section under Resources.
Signed.
Olujimi Oyetomi,
Director, Information, Media & Public Relations.
