Abuja, Nigeria – The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, highlighted the indispensable role of strategic and accurate data in advancing health outcomes and enhancing the economic value chain.
Prof. Pate’s statements delivered by Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, came at a strategic retreat of the National Assembly Health Committees, a gathering aimed at shaping the legislative health agenda for the 10th National Assembly Health Committees.
The two-day retreat, themed “Setting a legislative health agenda towards strengthening Nigeria’s primary healthcare system and health institutions for UHC and resilience,” was organized by the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), the World Health Organization, and other development partners.
Representing the Minister, Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, underscored the critical significance of data in strategic planning and resource allocation. He emphasized that “whatever decision you want to take, if you have the right kind of information and data, coming out from a quality source, then you are likely to get it right.”
Prof. Pate further pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Health serves as the authoritative source for health data in Nigeria. He encouraged stakeholders to rely on the ministry’s authenticated data to ensure precision and effectiveness in decision-making.
He illustrated the point with a practical example, saying, “For example, if you know that 18 per cent of children have not received vaccination, your data would also point to where these children are, so you know how to budget, how to allocate resources, and how to target interventions.”
Dr. Stanley Ukpai, Director of dRPC, highlighted the retreat as an invaluable opportunity for legislators, particularly those on health committees, to gain deep insights into the healthcare sector’s intricacies. He stressed that it represented a seamless transition of knowledge from the previous assembly’s leadership to the current one. “This is a good example of what continuity should be,” he noted.
Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, explained the core objectives of the retreat and emphasized the role of the legislature in national development. He stated, “The core objectives of the retreat are to enlighten the principal officers of the National Assembly of the critical challenges in the health sector and the efforts towards improving health outcomes and attaining UHC. The legislature plays a crucial role in ensuring national development and implementing policies.”
He further assured attendees that the activities of the Legislative Network for UHC would strengthen cooperation between various stakeholders with healthcare as a priority, aiming to “bridge knowledge gaps, improve communication, and interagency collaboration in our legislative functions.”