R-L Chief of Party USAID IHP Dr Martha Levitt, Ekiti state Commissioner for Health Dr Oyebanji Filani, Managing Partner SYDANI group Sydney Sampson and Folake Oni during a panel session at the seminar. Photo: Hamza Alkali/Radio Nigeria
The Chief of Party USAID Integrated Health Programme, Dr Martha Levitt says investment in health infrastructure, family planning and nutrition will go a long way in addressing some of the challenges facing the nation’s health insurance system.
She stated this in Abuja at a seminar with the theme ‘Implication of Changes of Government on Public Health Policies and Programmes in Nigeria.
Dr Levitt explained that investing in the Health sector was the best any government could impact on the people positively.
The Director General National Health Insurance Authority NHIA Professor Mohammed Sambo stressed the need to involve the private sector for adequate health insurance coverage to be attained.
He stated that the NHIA was already collaborating with the private sector to produce branded pharmaceuticals to meet the demands of the sector through the National Health Drug Management System.
Ekiti state commissioner for health and human services who is also the Chairperson health commissioners forum of Nigeria, Dr Oyebanji Filani said the forum was working closely with the Federal Government to ensure the challenges facing the health sector were addressed.
The Managing partner of Sydani Group, and organiser of the seminar Mr Sidney Sampson said the significant changes in leadership at all levels prompted the seminar, to respond to the changing environment.
He called for the use of data in policy decisions to avoid policy summersault at all levels.
Reporting by Hamza Alkali, editing by Hadiza Abdulrahman and Daniel Adejo