The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has entered into a partnership with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration to improve access to primary health care.
The US Embassy made this known on Friday in a statement in which it said a new primary health care steering committee was inaugurated to help the FCT administration improve access and delivery of primary health care to its three million constituents.
USAID Mission Director, Anne Patterson joined the minister of state for Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ramatu Tijani Aliyu to inaugurate a new committee on Thursday.
“The committee was established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between USAID and the FCT signed in December 2020 to help guide a plan of health systems reform to improve primary care service.
“This committee complements an operations committee inaugurated in June 2021 also established under the pact. The committees provide planning leadership and milestone review as to whether performance targets are being met as agreed upon in the MOU. Ultimately, the goal is improved quality and access to health services for the citizens of FCT,” the statement said.
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“We recognise the important role strong and resilient health systems play in guaranteeing universal access to health services and improving health outcomes,” Patterson said at the inauguration.
“This new steering committee will play a vital role in guiding our primary health care partnership to success, ”Aliyu assured.
The embassy disclosed that the five-year MOU guides the FCTA in financing and managing resources, staffing, and administering immunisation programmes among other facets of a strong primary health care programme.
It establishes a comprehensive work plan with adequate budget that will be shared with partners for review and feedback. For example, a critical challenge common to many of Nigeria’s public health authorities responsible for primary health care is the recruitment and reassignment of adequate number of skilled health workers.
The committee will be co-chaired by the minister of state, Aliyu and USAID director, Patterson, and will include senior FCT health officials and a representative from the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria.
USAID will support implementation of the MOU through four key activities, including the Integrated Health Programme providing reproductive and maternal, child health and nutrition services, the procurement and supply chain mechanism to improve commodities logistics and supply chain management, social and behavioural change messaging through Breakthrough Action-Nigeria, and Health Workforce Management to build the capacity of health workers.
