President Muhammadu Buhari has outlined what Nigeria must do to enjoy a lasting legacy from the recent huge investment in the health sector.
He believes a comprehensive health sector reform that will achieve a set of objectives must be instituted.
The President made the remarks on Tuesday when he received the end-of-year report of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 at the council chamber of the Aso Villa in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
One of the objectives, he says, is to build the human and institutional capacity to provide a world-class 21st-century healthcare system that is capable of responding effectively to future pandemics.
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President Buhari stated that developing a viable strategy for the nation’s primary and tertiary healthcare systems would go a long way, as well as re-aligning institutional mandates and functions within the health sector for effectiveness and efficiency.
He stressed the need to distinguish policy and coordination from implementation responsibilities, as well as strengthen the statutory and regulatory capacities within the health sector.
According to the President, recent reports indicate that Nigeria is now facing a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country.
“New epicentres have been identified and the nation cannot afford to lose the gains of the last nine months.
“I have critically evaluated the situation and remain convinced that urgent measures have to be taken to halt the spread and the attendant fatalities,” he said.
He added, “Closely associated with the foregoing is the need to speedily and strategically access and administer the COVID-19 vaccine in a safe, effective, and timely manner.
“This is an important obligation that we owe Nigerians as we go into the year 2021 and it must be carried out through an efficient machinery.”
