The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has commenced a two-day joint annual review (JAR) of the health sector to assess progress made in implementing its 2026 health programmes.

The review which began on Tuesday in Kaduna brought together officials from the federal and Kaduna State ministries of health, development partners, academia, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, health professionals, community representatives and the media.

Declaring the meeting open, the Kaduna Commissioner for Health, Umma Kaltume-Ahmed, described the review as a vital platform for evaluating the state’s performance under the Nigerian Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) architecture.

Ms Kaltume-Ahmed said that the meeting was aimed at identifying gaps and developing strategies to strengthen service delivery while informing the 2027 health budget and planning.

The commissioner, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Aisha Abubakar-Saqid, said that the annual review promoted transparency, accountability and evidence-based decision-making, enabling stakeholders to assess achievements, identify challenges and agree on priority actions for improved healthcare delivery.

She highlighted several milestones recorded by the state over the past year, including the upgrade of multiple primary healthcare centres, renovation and equipping of secondary health facilities across the state, and expansion of health insurance coverage for vulnerable residents.

She added that other milestones recorded were the recruitment of more than 1,000 primary healthcare workers under a multi-year plan and the commissioning of a 300-bed international-standard hospital.

The commissioner also noted improvements in pharmaceutical storage infrastructure, renovation of nursing and midwifery colleges, establishment of a second standardised neonatal care centre at General Hospital Sabo, and successful mass chemoprophylaxis campaigns for school-aged children.

According to her, these interventions have contributed to improvements in key health indicators, including reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality as well as a decline in malnutrition and wasting among children.

She, however, acknowledged some challenges and urged stakeholders to openly discuss bottlenecks affecting the health sector.

“Our national goal is to save lives, reduce both physical and financial hardship, and ensure better health outcomes for all Nigerians.

“We must collectively address the obstacles before us and chart a sustainable path forward,” she said.

Earlier, UNICEF Health Specialist Idris Baba explained that the Joint Annual Review provided an opportunity for the government and partners to evaluate the implementation of the 2026 health work plan, document best practices, identify implementation gaps and generate evidence to guide the second half of the year and the 2027 health sector budget.

He noted that the review reflected the collaborative spirit of the SWAp initiative by bringing together government institutions, development partners, academia and civil society to strengthen coordination and accountability in the health sector.

Also speaking, Olushola Ayola of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare commended the state for aligning with the national health sector renewal investment initiative.

He praised the state’s efforts in strengthening human resources for health, expanding health insurance coverage, upgrading infrastructure and revitalising primary healthcare services.

Mr Ayola said that the federal ministry’s delegation would provide technical support throughout the review to help identify remaining gaps and strengthen health security, infrastructure, workforce development and service delivery.

The two-day review is expected to produce key recommendations that will shape Kaduna State’s health priorities for the remainder of 2026 and guide the development of the 2027 health sector operational plan and budget.

(NAN)