Rivers commences development of National Strategic Health Plan

Tina Amanda

Rivers State Ministry of Health has commenced the implementation of the second National Strategic Health Development Work Plan (NSHDP II), a five-year plan for the health sector from 2018 to 2022.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs Caroline Wali, who unveiled the work Plan during a One-Day Stakeholders Dissemination Meeting of Rivers State Strategic Health Development Plan II, said the work plan was approved by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), in order to develop specific plans which would be aggregated into One National Health Plan for implementation over a period of five years.

According to her, Rivers State Planning Team (SPT-SSHDP) was inaugurated on the 31st July 2018, started work on the development of the State Strategic Health Development Plan II and was validated by all stakeholders on the 11th April 2018 at Visa Karena Hotel, Port Harcourt.

She stressed further that NSHDP II was presented at the 61st National Council on Health (NCH) on 21st June 2018 and launched by Mr President on the 8th January 2019.

“The plan is to guide whatever will be done in the health sector for the next five years, it’s encompassing, everybody is involved. States are expected to disseminate their State Strategic Health Development Plan II (SSHDP II) which would run from 2018-2022.

“I want to thank all those involved in developing the FMOH Rivers State strategic Health work plan, the programme managers, consultants and especially the development partners; UNICEF, USAID-HFG and SOMLPforR who were directly involved in the plan”

On her part, Director Planning Research and Statistics, Dr Chinwe Atata, said the Dissemination Rivers State strategic plan is in accordance with the Federal Ministry of Health.

“What we are doing here is in line with the federal ministry of health, the plans for the thirty-six states including FCT form one national health plan and that is for the whole health sector both private, public and our development partners”