FG inaugurates SWAp initiative to strengthen health system

Prof. Muhammad Pate, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health, has announced the integration of the Sector-wide Approach (SWAp) initiative, a strategy to unify the health sector and enhance funding with key stakeholders’ involvement.

Pate said this in Abuja on Tuesday during the SWAp Strategic Engagement with stakeholders from North Central and South Western states, emphasising that the initiative would also yield measurable results.

According to Pate, the country has faced significant challenges, such as high maternal and child mortality rates, malaria, and other health issues.

“However, through the SWAp initiative’s quarterly performance reviews, the health sector has seen evidence-based reforms across various states.

“We’ve made the transition from a faith-based planning programme to evidence-based planning.

“If we sustain this approach, I believe we will see improvements in population health outcomes in the country,” Pate said.

He added that as part of the compact signed with all 36 states, a quarterly performance dialogue was held to collectively review progress and performance.

“The Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) is a development strategy where national governments lead partnerships with various stakeholders, including development partners, to support sector policies and programmes through shared systems and mechanisms.

“This strategic engagement ensures the active involvement and alignment of stakeholders, such as government agencies, donors, and other partners, in planning, implementing, and monitoring SWAp initiatives.”

Pate noted that data-driven findings from state reviews would help address specific challenges and track progress.

He also highlighted the importance of accountability in the primary health care system, noting that each state was required to report on how funds were being spent.

“Every quarter, the primary health care system handles at least 20 million contacts, totaling 80 million contacts per year.

“As the utilisation of the primary health care system increases in Nigeria, it is crucial that we ensure accountability and proper use of funds,” Pate explained.

Mr Mohammed Sodiq, National Coordinator of the SWAp Coordination Office, acknowledged the minister’s efforts to improve performance and resource convergence in the health sector.

He emphasised that quarterly performance dialogues between states and the Ministry of Health were key to achieving tangible results.

“We focus on core health indicators and maternal/child survival, with a unified planning and reporting framework that promotes data-driven performance.

“When we say one plan, one budget, one report, and one conversation, it speaks to the aggregation of every state’s plans.

“The SWAp initiative is designed to address key health challenges, from skilled health attendants to routine immunisation and interventions that reduce maternal, neonatal, and under-five mortality,” Sodiq said.

Sodiq noted that while some states had red scores in the scorecards, discussions were underway to improve performance and bring the states to green.

According to him, the overarching goal is to improve health service delivery nationwide, ensuring that treatment is available for emergency cases, even at the primary health care level.

Dr Nicholas Baamlong, Commissioner for Health in Plateau State, lauded the “one plan, one budget, one voice” model, which ensured broad stakeholder involvement and prioritisation of health interventions at the state level.

Baamlong expressed his hope that by 2025, health budget implementation would reach at least 80 per cent, and that immunisation rates and malaria prevention efforts would see significant improvement.

Mr Michael Odimayo, Special Adviser on Health to the Ondo State Governor, applauded the National Health Reform Initiative for its role in aligning state-level planning with federal objectives.

Odimayo urged other states to follow Ondo’s example in supporting the federal government-driven health initiative, stressing the importance of collective commitment to improve Nigeria’s health system.

“This initiative is helping to upgrade the entire health sector in Nigeria.

“It’s time for other states to join and make a committed effort toward improving the health of the Nigerian populace,” Odimayo said.