By Nnedinma Okeke
In respect to Leadership and Governance of primary healthcare in Anambra, the State Ministry of Health (SMOH) and Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHCDA) held a one-day engagement meeting with Mayors, Supervisory Chancellors for health and Primary Healthcare (PHC) Directors from the 21 LGAs of the State at Hilton Leisure Hotel, Awka.
The Commissioner, SMOH, Dr Afam Obidike noted that one of the primary responsibilities of Local Government (LG) Mayors is primarily health of locals. He expressed gratitude to the Mayors especially those who physically support to ensure success of immunization/PHC activities in their respective LGAs.
He urged all Mayors to be part of the process so as to achieve results as the essence of counterpart was to enable health teams reach out to more people within the LGA.
The Executive Secretary, ASPHCDA, Pharm Chisom Uchem thanked the Mayors, Supervisory Councillors for Health and PHC Directors for their contributions towards the State 1.2 million US Dollars wins of the Leadership Challenge Award in December 2024.
She urged for continued support as with collaborations and team work, the State would record more wins for its development and betterment.
The WHO Anambra State Coordinator, Dr Bonos Mohammed noted that WHO alongside UNICEF would always stand with the State in ensuring good health for its citizens.
He gave a brief insight on the recently implemented two rounds National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) in the State held in April and June 2025, thanking the teams for all efforts put up by the LGAs.
“The goal is to ensure that every child zero to 11 months receives their Routine Immunization (RI) and every child zero to 59 months receives immunization during campaigns whenever it is implemented,” he added.
The UNICEF Health Specialist, Dr Olusoji Akinleye emphasized on the need to achieve herd immunity as an unimmunized child makes other children in the community vulnerable, and low immunization coverage can disrupt the system.
“We must go the last mile, every child must be reached and until every child is reached, our communities are not safe. This in turn makes our State and Country unsafe,” he explained.
He congratulated Anambra for emerging best State in recently concluded Leadership Challenge Fund which was by no means a mean task.
“This was achieved because the State positioned itself as being capable of strengthening their ability to render primary healthcare service. In the next round, the search light is coming on the LGAs as we are going beyond the State to the sub State level.
“This centers around Leadership because when the leadership is strong, the system will emerge strong and where the Leadership is weak, the system will not be strong. Simply put in three terms is; the Governance structure, Financing and Accountability.
“We are working with Ministry of Health on ways to replicate the Leadership Challenge in LGAs. This is a situation where you will compete among yourselves and the best performing LGA will also win an Award to further improve primary healthcare in the LGA.
The Supervisory Councillor for Health, Idemili North LGA, Dr Nkem Okeke expressed gratitude to the key players of the State’s healthcare sector for efforts in ensuring that there was a good collation among various cadres in the health sector, from the State to the LGA.
He assured that the LGAs Supervisory Councillor for Health would ensure full compliance of effective service delivery in their respective LGAs. “The State plans/ambitions for the various LGA’s health sector would all come to fusion as we are ready to work towards its success,” he added.
Some issues also discussed in the meeting were; recruitment of Community Based Healthcare Workers (CBHWs), health department issues in LGA’s management meeting, and task force on PHC.
Others includes; Mayors visitations to PHC, their chairing of evening review meetings during immunization campaigns and support to outreaches/PHC activities.
Also, performance review of data by PHC Directors, and oversight functions on health facilities through Supervisors of Health especially on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).
The meeting also had in attendance the Permanent Secretary, SMOH, Pharm Obiageli Uchebo and Director Public Health, SMOH, Dr Afam Anaeme, others.
*Nnedinma is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State.
