Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has assured the Medical Women’s Association seeking collaboration with the Ministry on sector wide approach, of the Federal Government support and cooperation in achieving the desired health outcomes.
Prof. Pate announced this, when members of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria led by its International and National President paid him a visit recently in Abuja.
Pate said the pool of human capital requires harnessing people to develop resilience towards nation building across transition adding that “Medical women are not just providers, but as individuals and member of the society, there are fundamental roles that you have to play in the goals that we have articulated for the health sector which is to save lives, reduce physical and financial pain and produce health for all Nigerians.”
According to the Minister, “we are changing the narrative away from just cure to bringing preventative element and the 4 pillars we articulated under the direction of the President especially the governance pillar which is about including everyone; the Federal Government, States, Private and Public sectors, Civil Society towards reorienting the health sector.”
In the area of HPV and breastfeeding as fundamental intervention programmes, the Minister expressed gratitude for awareness creation and strategies employed by the association for prevention of mother child infection transmission as well as addressing communicable and non-communicable diseases, noting that “Your voices have been really incredibly, we had a successful launch for the 1stphase States, in a few weeks we will have the 2nd phase State. I hope you will continue to dispel false rumors peddled around concerning the HPV vaccine and others as the Federal Government makes efforts to create governance of inclusiveness to proper harness the improvement of the health Sector.
Earlier, Prof. Rosemary Ogu, National President of the Association disclosed that over the years the Association which has been into health promotion, sensitization, adopting health facilities, breast and cervical cancer prevention seeks to partner with the Ministry in monitoring government health projects/participating in the technical working group on monitoring and evaluation especially reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent, elderly health and nutrition (RMNCAEH+N) programmes.
According to her “We are excited that the Federal Government has launched the free Cervical Cancer HPV vaccination for girls, we look forward to the next phase to be launched in the remaining States and hope we are fully involved”noting that the association seeks collaboration with the government on how to bring its sector wide approach initiative particularly community participation for primary healthcare to fruition.
The International President, Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi stated that “we want to partner the Federal Government in ensuring that this despicable maternal mortality figures are improved upon. You see our convening power, we are front liners we have community trust and the power of advocacy to assist the government, we should be your preferred partners.”
Patricia Deworitshe
D (Information)
