President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime is committed to improving the well-being of women, children, adolescents and the elderly in Nigeria, says health minister Osagie Ehanire.

Mr Ehanire stated this in Abuja at the first bi-annual meeting on the reproductive, maternal, newborn child, adolescent and elderly health, plus nutrition (RMNCAEH+N).

The RMNCAEH+N, launched in October 2020, is a multi-stakeholder partnership coordination platform to harmonise the health interventions of the federal government and health partners to reduce wastage and channel funds to get the desired result to achieve universal health care coverage.

Mr Ehanire said that the health of mother and child was a strategic measure of national development and remained topical in global developmental priorities.

“I note the modest progress we have made since we launched this platform, such as development of an annual operational plan at about 90 per cent completion,” said the health minister. “Other notable accomplishments include strengthened partnership with federal ministry of health parastatals like the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).”

He explained that “these partnerships were demonstrated by the harmonisation of the Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS) programme, which was launched during the PHC summit.”

The minister also mentioned that as part of RMNCAEH+N commitments, Mr Buhari’s regime was working to ensure availability of family planning commodities and services, by launching the FP2030 commitment.

“We are optimistic that Nigeria will attain its vision with a strategy that allows eligible citizens to make informed choices. Such eligible people include adolescents, young people, and vulnerable populations,” stated Mr Ehanire.

(NAN)