LISDEL inaugurated as Nigeria sets for full Operationalisation of the National Health Act 2014

As the curtains closed in the final days of H.E Goodluck Jonathan’s term as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a last thrust was carried out by CSOs and other stakeholders for the enactment of an extraordinary Bill which would set Nigeria on the right trajectory in meeting the health needs of its people. A decade in preparation and fine tuning, the National Health Act was successfully enacted in September 2014, thus becoming the single most important legislative tool for effectively directing Nigeria’s journey towards Universal Health Coverage.

There is no perfect law, and the National Health Act might undergo several iterations to achieve some level of perfection based on the prevailing times, but the crux of the matter is the optimal operationalisation of the provisions of the Act. The BHCPF operationalization has shown the tremendous potential and benefits that lie within this fact.

Having identified the very cogent need to accelerate Nigeria’s progress towards Universal Health Coverage, and with strong support from partners such as Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in strengthening this concept, the Minister of Health has set up a Ministerial Committee and Technical Working Group (TWG) to steer the process, which he presides as chairman.

The inauguration of these Committees by the Honourable Minister for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire held on September 15, 2021 in the Ministry of Health, attended by the Hon. Minister for State for Health Senator Dr Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora, Directors and Heads of Agencies, partners, and the media. Dr Osagie mandated the Committees to ensure the Act achieves the purpose for which it was created. The members of the TWG – Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics (DHPRS), World Health Organization (WHO), Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) and Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria (HERFON) – were further charged to develop a roadmap for the prompt, efficient, and effective operationalisation of the Act. 

This strategic development signals the dawn of a new era in Nigeria’s health system bearing tremendous hope for the future of the nation’s improved health and wellbeing; good milestones to look forward to.

Abdul Ojie (writer)

Juliana Abude-Aribo (editor)

LISDEL