President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday set up the Health Sector Reform Committee to begin the development and implementation of health-related reforms in the country.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said the committee is headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
According to him, the team will work in collaboration with the state governments and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The establishment of the committee followed the review of the Health Sector Diagnostic Report developed by a consultant, Vesta Healthcare Partners and the Federal Ministry of Health.
Vesta Healthcare Partners and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will work as resources persons and have observer roles in the committee.
The committee has six months to complete its assignment.
Other members of the committee are the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa; Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprise, Alex Okoh; a Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London, Prof Ibrahim Abubakar; Director-General of Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera; Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe; Dr. Adedamola Dada and Dr. Sani Aliyu.
Also listed are – Dr. Mairo Mandara, Dr. Haliru Yahaya, Emir of Shonga, Prof. Uche Amazigbo; Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib; Prof. Nasiru Sambo; Dr. Ifedayo Morayo Adetifa, Dr. Gambo Aliyu, Mrs. Temi Marcella Awogboro, Dr. Muhammad Sadiq, Dr. Azubike Tagbo, and the Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Betta Edu.
The President of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Innocent Ujah; President Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Sam Ohuabunwa; President National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Nnachi Mike; President Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Prof James Garba Damen and World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Nigeria completed the list.
The statement read: “The committee will undertake a review of all healthcare reforms adopted in the past two decades and lessons learnt and factor them into the development of the new Health Sector Reform Programme
