FG unveils five-health promotion strategic policy documents
Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja
In its bid address the burden of diseases confronting Nigerians especially those in the rural areas; the federal government on Monday unveiled five health strategic policy documents with the aim to empower Nigerians take timely action in disease prevention.
Speaking during the formal presentation of the policy document in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, lamented that poor health seeking behaviour is still rampant in communities and feeds poor health indices.
He said that the trend can be changed with the adoption of simple household health practices, more investment in health education which according to him is cost saving and supports socio-economic development.
While stressing that the goal of the new policy is to empower Nigerians to take timely action in disease prevention, improving their health and well-being, as well as taking measures that ensure a healthy society, Dr Ehanire added that health promotion remain key to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage.
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The minster added that the launch is timely because it aims to actualize the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to improving the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.
He said; ‘’This landmark event to present, launch and disseminate the revised National Health Promotion Policy 2019 and its ancillary Strategic Policy Documents, is timely and desirable, because it aims to actualize Federal Government’s commitment to improving health and wellbeing of Nigerians, by high-lighting options to making healthier lifestyle choices’’.
He further emphasised the importance of the strategy adding that available evidence revealed conditions under which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and the systems in place to handle ill health determine the overall health outcomes.
He further stated that health education in communities and settings such as schools, workplace and worship centres, present an opportunity to disseminate information on health and impart life skills that promote healthy and health seeking behaviours, which remain throughout life.
The documents presented by the Minister of health, Osagie Ehanire included: National health promotion policy 2019, National strategic plan for health promotion 2020-2024, knowledge management guideline for health promotion 2020-2024, Counseling flip chart on key house hold practices and Counseling flip chart on family planning/ child birth spacing.
Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen in her goodwill message lamented the plight of women and children saying, they suffer more disease burden in the country.
While calling for the abolition of cultural practices that hinders women free access to health, she stressed the need for more advocacies at the grassroots to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
“Women should be allowed to approach any health facility whenever they desire without the consent of their husbands. The traditional and religious leaders should assist us with this sensitization to create a better place for women and children”, she added.
On his part, who decried the dilapidated state primary health care facilities in the countries stressed the need to ensure that the essence of the policy implementation is achieved.
He said, ‘’I have the opportunity of travelling round then 36 states of the federation and I must say that what we see across the state is not encouraging. Our primary health care delivery system is in comatose. The federal health care delivery system has practically packed up.
‘’That is why we obviously put enormous pressure on the tertiary health care delivery system. Therefore, it is important that we must activate these levels of health care delivery at that level to make them functional. That is the only way we are going to ensure full implementation of the top 10 these policies that is been launch here today’’.
