The Federal Government on Tuesday listed some of the challenges impeding effective healthcare service delivery in the country to include weak governance structures, poor human resource capacity and inefficient core processes. The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole stated this while speaking at the opening ceremony of a retreat aimed at strengthening the Ministry’s budget process and the capacity of the Department of Health Planning, Research & Statistics.
The retreat was organised in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Health Systems Consults Ltd in Abuja. He lamented the inability of the Health Ministry to demonstrate expected results and ensure value for money in the delivery of health services.
“A few years ago when we came in, I was presented with a report on public financial management, which showed the health sector as the least performer out of sixteen (16) ministries. Relatedly, I observed, that the capacity to plan and coordinate health service delivery was weak. These issues undermine the Ministry’s ability to demonstrate results and ensure value for money.
It is imperative to assess and strengthen the capacity of the Ministry to effectively lead national health planning, policy development, and overall health sector coordination.”
