From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Determined to enhanced good and efficient health care delivery services in Imo State, and in line with global order, groups under the auspices of Imo State Ministry Of Health in collaborative partnership with Federal Ministry Of Health and Social Warfare, Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII), SWAP, Nigeria Governor’s Forum, have embarked on intensive 4 days capacity leadership building workshop for Imo State health workers aimed at strengthen the State healthcare delivery systems as well as guaranteeing improved health security governance.
The workshop initiative is also committed, towards ensuring an improved budgets processing for the health sector as well as guaranteeing greater value for money spent by the State.
Dr. Mrs. Chioma Ebo, the Commissioner, Imo State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, officially flagged off the workshop last Wednesday while further highlighting the purpose of the workshop initiatives as transforming and strengthening the State health system, focusing on capacity building to enhance leadership, management, and frontline workers’ skills in tandem with World Health Organization, WHO agend.
Ebo also canvassed on the importance of developing leaders, managers, and frontliners to drive the State health system, efficiently and effectively.
“This initiative underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to healthcare improvement, thus, going beyond infrastructure to invest in human capacity and leadership development” she noted.
The Commissioner further reiterated on the workshop’s objectives, which entails deepening understanding of the health system frameworks, equipping participants with practical problem-solving tools, enhancing capacity, focusing on data-driven decision-making, performance management and developing realistic annual operational plans, as well as addressing health challenges by applying data-driven skills to tackle the State’s health issues.
She also highlighted the workshop’s importance, by informing that Local Government Areas (LGAs) health workers are equally involved to ensure impact at the community level.
Ebo, further pointed out that, the workshop’s goals to includes: improving maternity and healthcare, vaccine availability and uptake, and ensuring access to essential vaccines services in rural communities.
Others include data reporting quality, improving data accuracy for informed decision-making and effective health system interventions, optimizing resource utilization for better healthcare outcomes to Imo citizens and Nigerians at large.
These objectives, she pointed out are aimed at strengthen healthcare systems, particularly in resource-constrained settings.
She advised the participants to approach the workshop with an open mind, actively participate and be solution-focused, so as to reflect deeply on health system realities and apply their knowledge in effective administration of facilities in their various Local Government Areas and State level.
“I appreciate the SWAP Coordinating Office, Coordinators, Facilitators and Partners for their commitments, resilience and contributions, also to the staff of Ministry of Health for their dedication to equitable health system deliveries and am wishing everyone, a happy productive and insightful training sessions”.
The Commissioner further expressed gratitude to Governor Hope Uzodimma for his unflinching supports, as well as the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for recognizing the importance of strengthening sub-national capacities and development partners for their contributions to Nigerians health system agenda.
Dr. Wadzingi Williams Bassi, World Health Organization (WHO), Imo State Coordinator, re-emphasized that the capacity-building meeting is also aimed at strengthen health systems focus on Annual Operational Plan (AOP) development.
Bassi reported that the key components of a well-functioning health system is build on trained and motivated health workers, well-maintained infrastructures, reliable supply of medicines and technologies backed by adequate funding, evidence-based policies and strong health plans.
“This highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to building robust health systems” he said.
Bassi who was represented by Dr. Adeniran Aderiyi, emphasized that Annual Operational Plans (AOPs), outlines evidence-based strategies aiming to strengthen health systems and improve access to quality health care.
He also informed that it equally addresses health disparities targeting root causes and align with Health Sector Strategic Blueprint (HSSB), which integrating efforts towards common goals on saving lives, reducing physical and financial burden and promoting health for all Imolites.
In his remarks, Omoruyi Iyahen who was represented by Dr. Muntaga Saduf-Umar highlighted that the successful development of the 2025, Annual Operational Plan, reflects hard work and joint commitments in investing in health system revamp, requires strong leadership, collaboration, coordination, and efficiency long-term investment.
He emphasized the need for sustained efforts to enhance Nigeria’s health system, insisting that, it underscores the importance of collaborative leadership and strategic planning in driving healthcare improvements.
Adaeze Obison, representative of Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation, maintained that capacity leadership building and AOP development workshop are crucial for improving health systems at various levels.
Obison assured of heyFoundation’s commitments in supporting efforts geared towards advancing good health system planning and foster health service delivery, so far it anchors on goals to improving health outcomes for individuals and communities.
Expressing her Foundation’s dedication to strengthening healthcare systems and promoting better health outcomes, Obison canvassed on the need for collaboration that would strengthening the health system in the State and local capacity building that is essential for delivering equitable, efficient, sustainable healthcare and strengthening planning and statistics to achieving a robust health systems.
She commended the organizers and Honourable Commissioner for creating a platform for knowledge sharing, dialogue, practical skills initiative and development, even as she passionately advised the participants for acknowledged active engagement, contribution, and commitments to collaborative learning, just for a healthier future.
Dr. George Udeji, Imo State SWAP Coordinator, emphasized that the program focuses on the need to system strengthening and developing operational health plans of the State.
Udeji insisted that the Annual Operational Plans should aim towards strengthen the health system by having a realistic budgeting that would enable the state to achieve a turnaround in healthcare.
He also assured that the workshop is tailored towards developing capacity, enhancing problem-solving skills for participants from LGAs in Imo State and the staff in State health ministry to tackle health challenges by addressing key health issues.
The health administrator also reiterated that the workshop would help to improve healthcare deliveries and reduce poor maternity health indices in Imo State.
Udeji, informed that the workshop would be a recurring programme, aimed at gathering statistics from LGAs level so as to inform adequate planning, noting that the capacity building training for the state participants would help the local government areas in rolling out their health improvement strategic plans.
“This highlights the ongoing nature of the program and the importance of capacity building and data-driven planning” he remarked.
